On the death of harbour seal Kielius

The Kiel Aquarium mourns the loss of harbour seal Kielius. As the male leader and largest animal in the small group of seals, he was well known throughout the city. Being the star of the regular feedings and training sessions, he contributed greatly to the visibility of the seal pool as an attraction in Kiel. The veterinarian in charge attributes his death to the animal's impressive age.

"At feeding time, Kielius ate very little of his otherwise much-loved herring. His eyesight and orientation had also been very impaired for some time," recalls aquarium manager Dr Armin Form. "On Monday afternoon, his condition suddenly deteriorated. In the evening, he died in the presence of his familiar mates."

Kielius was born in the aquarium on 29 June 1994 as a pup of the two Kiel seals Jimmy and Kiek - unlike today, at that time it was still common to breed offspring at the GEOMAR aquarium. Accustomed to humans from an early age, he became the aquarium's most prominent inhabitant. In the daily programme, which responds to the curiosity and individual social behaviour of the animals and also prepares them for medical examinations, for example, he fetched rings from the water and retrieved balls. In addition to interacting with his fellows, he also built up a relationship with the keepers, who now miss him dearly.

The seal group currently includes Krümel, Sally and Luna. "We now only take in animals that can no longer be released back into the wild," explains Dr Form.