Sea lions can be predisposed to a variety of eye diseases, so scheduled exams to ensure eye health is a very important part of their routine care at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
All of the sea lions in the Columbus Zoo’s professional care are trained to participate in voluntary eye examinations. For these exams, the Zoo works closely with MedVet, particularly opthamologist Dr. Terah Webb and Anesthesiologist Dr. Matt Read, who visit the Zoo twice a year to conduct scheduled eye exams.
Qizai
Although his beloved care team sometimes refers to him by his nickname “Cheese”, Qizai is actually pronounced “Chitz-Eye”, and means “Seventh Son to a Seventh Son”, referring to a Chinese legend about mythical healing powers. But, that wasn’t his first first name! When he was born at the Wilhelma Zoo in Germany, he was given the name Theo. Then, after being transferred to a zoo in China, his name was originally changed to Aristotle, and finally changed to Qizai. He arrived to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2017, and his current name remains.
Qizai was first noted to have cataracts in December of 2021. They were very small at the time and the care team monitored him closely. Surgery was completed in February 2021, where he received cyclosporine eye implants, and vets also performed a root canal while he was under anesthesia. This marked the first sea lion surgery ever performed at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Over the past six months, Qizai’s cataracts have progressed to the point where they are impacting his vision and need to be removed. The surgery will provide a significant improvement to his sight.
Ayla
Ayla has a few nicknames from her care team, including “Shmayla” and “The Bestest Good Girl”…because she is. As the oldest female sea lion at the Zoo, Ayla has great personality loved by all.
Born in 2000, Ayla hails from Ocean Connections in Wisconsin. At eight years old, she traveled across the globe and joined the family at Shanghai Changfeng Ocean World in China. After spending nine years there, she was transferred to the Columbus Zoo in 2020.
Ayla has already received successful cataract surgery at the Columbus Zoo and needs a lighter intervention this time around.
Why Train Sea Lions?
The primary objective of the pinniped care and health teams at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is to detect subtle health changes that would be otherwise imperceptible without specialized training, enabling them to intervene at an earlier stage. Animals are adept at concealing pain as a survival instinct; revealing distress in their natural habitats could make them vulnerable to predators. Through dedicated training and the establishment of strong relationships with their care team, the Zoo can promptly address health conditions such as cataracts or other medical issues.
Pablo Joury, Curator of Pinnipeds – Wild Encounters at the Columbus Zoo, says, “Our incredibly-skilled trainer staff, and the close bonds that they have with these animals, allow us to be successful in ensuring the health of the animals in our professional care.”
“Our number one priority is always the health and wellbeing of the animals we care for,” said Dr. Katie Seeley, veterinarian at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. “The ability to bring together experts in the fields of ophthalmology and anesthesiology to complement our expertise in zoological medicine allows us to provide the absolute best level of care for Qizai and Ayla. In turn, this allows them to serve as animal ambassadors for ocean health and conservation.”
Hear from the experts themselves in this video featuring the Columbus Zoo Animal Care team and MedVet!
HEADS UP: This video includes footage of medical procedures and surgeries on sea lions.
Learn More
Visit Adventure Cove at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to meet Qizai, Ayla, and many others!
