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According to CBS Colorado, Nick—an 18-year-old California sea lion from the Denver Zoo—tragically died on August 7, 2025, at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., where he had been staying since 2023 while Denver completed a new sea lion habitat.
Nick was rescued as a newborn on Seal Rock in North Laguna, California, found with his umbilical cord still attached, and was bottle-fed and hand-raised before joining the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance at just ten months old. Known for his massive size—over 700 pounds at his peak—and his booming bark, he quickly became a guest favorite for his playful and gentle-giant personality…