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VANCOUVER — One of the most popular, long-time attractions at the Vancouver Aquarium has died.
Tag, a 15-year-old, 640-kilogram male Steller sea lion, died early Tuesday from complications of surgery to combat oral cancer.
The huge, blond sea lion arrived at the aquarium as a two-week-old pup and quickly became a favourite with visitors, delighting youngsters with his guttural grunts, flipper splashes and other antics.
He also helped researchers better understand Stellar sea lions, in hopes of determining why the species has suffered dramatic and unexplained declines across the North Pacific in recent years.
The aquarium announced in March that Tag had been diagnosed with oral cancer and that he had he received surgery and chemotherapy in hopes of treating the disease.
