El Paso’s very first sea lions arrived at the Washington Park Zoo on June 22, 1956.
“3 California sea lions, most recent addition to the Washington Park Zoo, refused to eat at their initial meal in their new home nowadays.
“Metropolis Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Bryce Lammert said, ‘They’ll eat shortly. They just aren’t applied to their new property. This is the to start with time they’ve been out of salt h2o and they are not accustomed to it.’
“Mr. Lammert tried using to feed the animals, but each time he threw them a hunk of fish, they turned and swam absent.”
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Arrived in bins
“The pool is 4 ft deep, 30 ft huge and 40 toes extended. At the rear of it is a ‘rock’ shelter designed of gunite (sprayed concrete). The shelter has several flower beds. The back again of the shelter will be made use of as portion of the prairie doggy show, to be mounted quickly.
“Mr. Lammert said the sea lions, all males, arrived final night from California. They came in bins with cakes of ice on top, which dripped and held them moist. The sea lions value $125 each. He approximated the complete price of the show at all-around $6,000.”
In May well 1958, Lammert released “Operation Sea Lion.” He organized a group of park staff and chartered a boat into the Gulf of California to hunt for sea lions.
Lammert was quoted as expressing, “Sea lions are really highly-priced when you purchase them. We hope to help you save revenue by catching 8 or 10 toddler sea lions for the Washington Park Zoo. Then El Pasoans can enjoy them grow.”
Introduced two seals again
Regretably, they prepared their journey about a thirty day period late and Lammert dislocated his shoulder, but the team managed to bring two seals back again to El Paso.
Reported Might 21, 1958: “The two sea lions introduced back again from the Gulf of California Sunday are claimed altering to the seal pond at Washington Park Zoo. The larger sized of the two has been placed in the pond with the sea lion currently at the zoo and Bryce Lammert, Parks Superintendent, claims they’re becoming rapid pals.”
Fewer than a week later on, on May possibly 27: “Jorge, newborn sea lion at Washington Park zoo, has died.
“The animal, in superior health and fitness right up until Friday, dropped two ounces on that working day and died Saturday. He had been fed with a bottle.”
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Stranded 18 hrs
A June 1959 expedition did not go significantly far better. A few adult men from the team were being stranded for 18 hours when the batteries went out on their motorboat.
Right after being rescued, the team returned with a single baby sea lion. This prompted just one taxpayer to question why the metropolis would shell out $241 on the expedition when a sea lion could be acquired for $125.
Lammert replied, “That is appropriate. But we experienced hoped to carry back again six adult sea lions, which would have designed them cheaper. It can be like going fishing occasionally you will not catch nearly anything.”
However, the publicity more than the vacation prompted the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque to offer you a 2-year-old sea lion to the Washington Park Zoo as a reward.
As it stood then, the zoo experienced two adult sea lions ‒ George and Georgette ‒ and the new baby brought back again by the expedition. The Albuquerque sea lion would make four.
Little one sea lion dies
A few months later, Lammert introduced the toddler sea lion experienced died at the zoo. He stated it had been in poor overall health, and speculated that it had pneumonia.
On Dec. 28, 1960, Lammert claimed two new sea lions had been requested to switch the two that experienced died.
“Georgette, the feminine sea lion, died Sunday. The male died a number of weeks back. They ended up a key attraction at the zoo.
“The sea lions experienced from respiratory problems of some kind, Mr. Lammert mentioned.”
Sugar and Spice included
On June 8, 1962, sea lions Sugar and Spice were extra to the zoo pool.
“The two sea lions swam fortunately in the sea lion pool at the zoo soon after becoming out of h2o for nearly 12 hours.
“They arrived early now at the airport in which they have been met by Park Department officials.
“Zoo officers soaked the sea lions with hoses following their arrival in El Paso and took them to the pool about midmorning.
” ‘Sea lions are air breathers, but if they are retained out of the h2o for a very long time, their pores and skin will dry out,’ Mr. (Max) Blassingame (assistant superintendent of parks) stated.
“The sea lions, a person male and one particular woman, are described by Mr. Blassingame as ‘young adults.’ That suggests they are about 18 months previous.
“Already a resident at the sea lion pool is Suzie, an ‘adult’ at two and a half years. Suzie’s lover died about two months in the past of some thing like pneumonia, Mr. Blassingame reported.”
On Feb. 20, 1964, it was declared that Cindy the sea lion was additional to the pool to preserve Spicy organization due to the fact Sugar experienced died seven months earlier.
Lonely times are more than
By February 1971, it was Susie and newly arrived Connie.
“Lonely times are all about for Susie, the El Paso Zoological Garden’s sea lion. Thanks to kind-hearted El Pasoans, she now has a playmate, Connie, a new arrival at the zoo.
“Challenges started for Susie when the zoo’s other sea lion died not too long ago of nephritis and aged age.
“Deprived of her pal, Susie started refusing foods and moping.”
Trish Prolonged may perhaps be achieved at [email protected] or 915-546-6179.
