Three-month-old seal pup born at Des Moines zoo dies

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials at a Des Moines zoo say a 3-month-old seal pup born there has died. Blank Park Zoo officials say the pup, born Aug. 20 and named “Lucy,” died on Nov. 24.

A news release issued by the zoo said a necropsy showed Lucy died after suffering from “failure to thrive.” Zoo spokesman Ryan Bickel says that means the pup wasn’t processing enough calories to survive. Officials say Lucy was not eating on her own in the last weeks of her life and required fluids and supplements from keepers.

The zoo now has three harbor seals: Lucy’s parents, Meru and Ross, and her older brother, Monty.