California sea lion Eloise touches noses with her newborn pup at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. Photo: Katie G. Cotterill/Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
A California sea lion pup born June 6 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium needs a name.
State of play: The first sea lion born in the zoo's 119-year history is growing — gaining six pounds since last week — and playing in a kiddie pool behind the scenes where she lives with her mother, Eloise.
She will join the other sea lions and seals in the public viewing pool later this summer, per the zoo.
Her caretakers have come up with a slate of names to choose from:
Rosa: named for the Santa Rosa sea lions in the Channel Islands off California
Marnie: meaning "of the sea"
Nori: a type of seaweed
Pepper: Keepers say she was strong and feisty at her first two health checks despite fighting off a respiratory infection.
