The president of the Loro Parque Group, Wolfgang Kiessling, emphasised how much it touched him ‘that the birth of this young animal has generated so much enthusiasm and affection among thousands of people’.
Loro Parque has officially announced the name of its California sea lion baby, Ozzy. The choice was the result of a social media campaign in which a total of 9,424 votes were cast in two phases, allowing the public to suggest and vote for their favourite name.
In the final phase, in which 3,973 votes were cast, Ozzy won with 2,381 votes (60%), followed by Simon with 987 votes (25%) and Bruce with 605 votes (15%). This initiative has once again demonstrated the strong emotional bond the public has with the animals in the park and their willingness to actively participate in their history.
The young animal, a 9 kg male, was recently born at the Animal Embassy facilities and is the son of Brisa, one of the seven female California sea lions living at Loro Parque. The birth took place normally in a specially equipped facility under the supervision of the veterinary team and keepers, who are now closely monitoring his development.
With this birth, Loro Parque has now recorded 26 sea lion pups since the arrival of the first animal in 1987, consolidating its role as an international reference for the reproduction and care of this marine species.
The president of the Loro Parque Group, Wolfgang Kiessling, emphasised that “Brisa is proving to be an exemplary mother, providing her little one with everything it needs. It is exciting to see how the birth of this baby has generated so much enthusiasm and affection. Ozzy already has a special place in the hearts of thousands of people.‘
’Initiatives like this remind us of the importance of connecting with society through emotions, education and protection,” added Mr Kiessling.
During the first months of his life, Ozzy will be fed exclusively on his mother’s milk, which is rich in nutrients and fats that are important for his growth and the development of a waterproof fur coat. From the age of six months, he will gradually add fish to his diet.
The director of the Loro Parque Fundación, Javier Almunia, emphasised that ‘every birth is excellent news that reflects our commitment to the conservation and protection of animals. This new specimen strengthens our educational and scientific work and allows us to raise public awareness of the importance of getting to know sea lions better and helping them in emergencies in their ecosystem.’
Ozzy’s birth is part of the park’s recent ‘baby boom’ with the birth of orcas, tenos, lemurs, golden lion tamarins, sloths and various species of parrots, a clear sign of the success of the conservation, care and animal welfare programmes carried out by Loro Parque’s interdisciplinary team.
Although the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is not currently threatened with extinction, it faces major threats such as overfishing, coastal degradation and climate change. In this context, the specimens at Loro Parque play an important role as ambassadors for their species and help to raise public awareness of the urgent need to protect the marine environment.
The choice of the name Ozzy and the emotional support he has received strengthen the bond between the park and its followers and consolidate Loro Parque as a global reference, not only in the field of nature conservation and environmental education, but also in terms of the emotional connection its animals inspire in thousands of people around the world.
