WildView™

November 23, 2020

Meet Kenobi!

- as seen by -

Stephanie Graehling

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Kenobi is a 15-year-old California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that lives at WCS’s New York Aquarium and is one of the stars in the Aquatheater’s Sea Lion Celebration Show.

Kenobi, like all of our animals, is a unique individual. He can be one of the gentlest of our male sea lions and has a very sweet demeanor. Kenobi gets along unusually well with almost every other sea lion at the aquarium. The other sea lions often seek out Kenobi’s company, and his trainers regularly find him snuggled up to his pals at nighttime.

Kenobi shares a special bond with his trainers and thrives on learning new things. Currently he is working on a very complex behavioral concept called “innovate”, which encourages Kenobi to choose which behavior he wants to demonstrate, and even engage the trainer in new behaviors of his own creation.

His trainers, and the guests who come to the aquarium’s show, take a special joy in seeing his face every day.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to all the staff that care for the animals and keep WCS’s parks running. We are grateful for the work they do.

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