Seattle Aquarium Mourns Death of Big Al the Fur Seal
Big Al, looking dignified. Picture courtesy of the Seattle Aquarium.
Crushing news today from the Seattle Aquarium: Al, a 19-and-a-half-year-old resident fur seal, died this morning after a long, uphill battle with old age. While not as old as his 22-year-old female roommate Woodstock, 19 is an accomplishment for male fur seals, who rarely make it past their mid-teens. Aquarium staff remember him as an "old friend" who was gentle and cooperative.
In the weeks leading up to his death, Al was having trouble eating and pulling himself out of the water as his health slowly declined. Aquarium staff made the tough decision to euthanize him.
At less than a year old, Al was discovered in a Hoquiam cow pasture after a disorienting storm. He was named after Al Gore, and deemed unfit to release in the wild due to his poor survival skills and tiny, adorable size. Soon, though, Al at least overcame the size issue, gaining him the nickname "Big Al"; last summer, he weighed in at over 600 pounds.
He went on to be an important figure in research on fur seals due to his food consumption and weight fluctuation: Al usually gained and lost 250 pounds each year. This is normal behavior, as male fur seals spend all winter bulking up for the summer mating season.
Continuing his dedication to science, Al's remains are headed for both the Burke Museum, plus a researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Al is survived by his 11-year-old son Isaac, who is currently at Boston's New England Aquarium breeding -- an honor only bestowed to a mere 10% of male seals in the wild.
