Harpo, Aquarium of the Pacific’s goofy and charismatic sea lion who rose to Tik-Tok stardom in 2021, died Thursday. He was 17.
Tens of thousands fell in love with the plucky Long Beach sea lion after a viral video showed him belting along to a pop punk tune in 2021. That video garnered more than 47,000 views.
Harpo arrived at the aquarium in 2007, a year after he was born.
Aquarium officials said in May he began to show signs of distress, including loss of appetite. But despite tests to figure out what was wrong, officials were unable to diagnose his illness.
Sea lions can live up to 30 years in captivity.
The aquarium’s veterinary team will conduct a necropsy to determine a cause of death, officials said in a statement.