'Basa,' one of oldest walruses in captivity, dies at SeaWorld San Diego

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- SeaWorld San Diego announced the passing of one of its beloved residents last week.

A female walrus named Basilla, affectionately known to guests as Basa, has died at the age of 42.

At the time of her death, Basa was one of the oldest walruses in human care, according to SeaWorld San Diego in a social media post. She played an integral role in helping advance research about her species and conservation efforts for walruses throughout the Arctic, the park added.

"She inspired countless guests to care for and protect marine life, leaving an enduring impact on everyone who met her," SeaWorld San Diego said. "Our hearts are with all who loved Basa, both here at the park and beyond. She will be deeply missed."

The news of Basa's death came around the same time as the announcement of the loss of a male polar bear and a giraffe at the San Diego Zoo.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said polar bear Kalluk, who had been under the zoo's care since 2001, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 14 at the age of 24.

The wildlife alliance said Kalluk had exceeded the life expectancy of male polar bears in the wild, who generally live between 15 and 18 years. Wildlife experts made the decision to euthanize him after he started showing signs of age-related illness.

Minutes after announcing the death of Kalluk, the zoo also posted about the loss of Nicky, a 28-year-old Masai giraffe and the matriarch of the zoo's giraffe herd.

"Over recent years, Nicky had been showing signs of her advanced age, and our dedicated team provided expert care to ensure her comfort and well-being. However, this past week, her condition declined significantly, and on August 14, our team made the compassionate decision to let her go," the zoo stated.