Gray seal Gunther opens his mouth on cue during a training session with an American Trail animal keeper. (Connor Mallon, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute ...

G unther, a 33-year-old male gray seal at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, died on January 18, leaving behind a legacy as both an ambassador for his species and ...

The Smithsonian says there are 7,500 to 10,000 ... “I can’t force this 600-pound seal to do anything,” keeper Sam Milne said. But she can do positive reinforcement training, a common zoo ...

The photo, which was taken last November, shows the seal in a state of nirvana: It even appears to be smiling. Despite the photo being from the fall of 2022, Smithsonian Magazine shared the image ...