Oregon Coast Aquarium sea lion Quill dies, remembered as 'spunky people pleaser' over 28 years in Newport - KPTV.com

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NEWPORT, OR (KPTV) – The Oregon Coast Aquarium is saying goodbye to Quill.

Aquarium staff announced Friday that Quill had died at the age of 30 after a decline in the quality of her life.

Quill was the last surviving sea lion from the original sea lion colony that came to the Oregon Coast Aquarium when it opened in 1992.

Quill was two years old when she arrived from the Chicago Brookfield Zoo, along with half-sibling Max.

Quill was described as a “spunky people pleaser.”

“Quill would make the biggest splash with her backflips, and she would give a short bark to let her trainers know she deserved a fish,” according to aquarium staff.

Quill developed cataracts and arthritis into her twenties. At 27, she started showing signs of pain and decreased mobility.

Her trainers implemented treatments including chiropractic and acupuncture sessions to help sustain her quality of life.

“Quill is a testament to how important it is for mammalogists to build a strong relationship with the animals under their care. Quill would not have been able to have as high quality of life as she had without her trust in her caretakers. She was able to be surrounded by her people as she passed,” says Brittany Blades, Curator of Marine Mammals.

In the wild, sea lions can live into their late teens or early twenties. Under human care, they can live into their late twenties and early thirties.

“Quill has given inspiration about our ocean to millions of our visitors. It is always hard saying goodbye to an animal that has been such a big part of our lives, and she will be remembered fondly by all of us and those she has met along the way,” says Jim Burke, Director of Animal Husbandry.

Copyright 2020 KPTV-KPDX Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.

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October 10, 2020 at 06:19AM
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Oregon Coast Aquarium sea lion Quill dies, remembered as 'spunky people pleaser' over 28 years in Newport - KPTV.com

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