Young sea lion dies at Miller Park Zoo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Officials at Miller Park Zoo are trying to figure out what caused the death of a young California sea lion that was brought to Bloomington less than two months ago.

The sea lion, known as Cali, was transferred to the central Illinois zoo in April as part of the Species Survival Plan. That program is designed to build up the captive population of animals.

The approximately 1-year-old sea lion had been stranded as a pup and was rehabilitated at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., before coming to Bloomington.

Cali's death Monday leaves Miller Park Zoo with one sea lion — 8-year-old Gremlin, who has been at the zoo since 2004.