West Edmonton Mall announces death of 'beloved' California sea lion

Clara a California sea lion, who was 30, has died at the West Edmonton Mall. (Facebook/West Edmonton Mall)

Visitors at the West Edmonton Mall will see one less clapping critter at Sea Lions’ Rock.

The mall announced Monday their "beloved" California sea lion, Clara, has died.

Clara, who was 30, had “long outlived” the expected life span of a California sea lion, usually only 15 to 20-years-old, the mall said on Monday.

“Clara was so full of personality – she was sweet, gentle, and nurturing, but also strong and decisive,” officials said in a social media post.

The mall says Clara was born in Blackpool Zoo in England on June 16, 1994. She came to Edmonton October 2004 along with two other sea lions, Kelpie and her younger brother Pablo.

“In the last few years, Clara really started to show her age. As her vision and mobility decreased in her twilight years, we adapted how we worked with her,” WEM said.

Ramps, audio instead of visual cues and a mobility sled in the pool were all adjustments made to help Clara feel comfortable and welcome her into retirement.

Clara was known for her “strength and grace in her beautiful, distinctive backflips through the pool.”

The mall says her trainers often joked she could run through the entire sea lion performance without any help and losing her is like “losing a coworker.”

In her younger years, Clara was also known to be a teacher to other sea lions. She taught Quinty “how to be a sea lion” and worked with new trainers.

To honour Clara, WEM is asking people to donate to Hope for Wildlife, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates injured and orphaned wild animals