For Immediate Release
Keepers Name Sea Lion Pups Following Public Naming Contest
Omaha, NE (June 24, 2016) – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium’s two sea lion pups,
both of which are females, have been a named by their keepers.
Six-year-old Gemini’s pup, born on Wednesday, May 25, has been named Poppy, submitted by
four-year-old Asa Schaeppi of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Poppy now weighs 17 pounds. Sevenyear-old Coco’s pup, born on Sunday, June 5, was named Nova, submitted by 26-year-old
Jaisa Gutierrez of Columbus, Nebraska. Nova weighs 19 pounds.
The names were selected via a naming contest Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
hosted from Friday, June 10, to Friday, June 17. Guests were invited to submit their ideas at the
Owen Sea Lion Pavilion. The winning names were selected by the keepers who care for the sea
lions. There were 3,856 names submitted.
Coco and Nova are on display with 12-year-old Chino, the father of the pups, at the Owen Sea
Lion Pavilion. Gemini and Poppy are currently off-exhibit.
The keepers continually monitor the pups closely after birth and the weight of Gemini’s pup
was not progressing as expected. Therefore, she and Gemini were moved off-exhibit to allow
them every opportunity to bond. Once her weight steadily increases and she has learned how to
swim, Poppy will go back on display with Gemini and is expected to in the next couple of
weeks. Gemini has access to a pool behind-the-scenes to teach her pup how to swim.
Nova has become an accomplished swimmer, so the water level of the Owen Sea Lion Pavilion
has returned to normal. Water-level adjustments are made each year during pupping season.
California sea lions are commonly found along the coastlines of the Pacific Northwest region.
Males can weigh between 700 to 1,000 pounds while females can weigh between 200 to 250
pounds. There are currently 147 California sea lions across 38 Association of Zoos and
Aquariums-accredited institutions.
--30-Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is ranked one of the best zoos in the world by
TripAdvisor and the top family friendly attraction by FamilyFun Magazine. Currently open
daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer general admission prices are $18.95 for adults
(12-64), $17.95 for seniors (64 and over) and $12.95 for children (3-11) through September 14.
Fall and winter pricing can be found on the Zoo’s website, OmahaZoo.com. Download the
Zoo’s official mobile app for free on Apple’s App Store or Google Play.