Staff at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in the District are mourning the death of a male gray seal, Gunther, at the age of 33, the zoo said.

Keepers first noticed Gunther’s lack of appetite and energy on Jan. 11, which continued over the ensuing days despite the use of antibiotics and other medical treatments. On Jan. 18, he went into cardiac arrest and died after resuscitation attempts failed, the zoo said Monday.

Gunther, who arrived at the zoo from the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, in 2012, outlasted the median life expectancy for gray seals in captivity, which is around 19 years, the zoo said. The lifespan for gray seals in the wild is about 25 to 35 years, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

In his time at the National Zoo, Gunther fathered two pups with, Kara, another seal that arrived with him in 2012. Female Rona was born in 2014 and relocated to the Louisville Zoo in 2016, while female Birdie was born in 2017 and still lives at the National Zoo.

Zoo officials remember Gunther as being patient with staff and easygoing with a “larger-than-life personality.”

On Wednesday, National Zoo officials announced another death, this time for 26-year-old Komodo dragon male Murphy. Like Gunther, Murphy also outlasted the median life expectancy for his species in captivity, which for males is about 20 years.

Their natural lifespan in the wild is thought to be about 30 years, according to the National Zoo website.

On Dec. 13, staff noticed Murphy being lethargic and lacking in appetite, and gave him antibiotics and other medical treatments. When his symptoms did not get better, they found that his degenerative joint condition, first detected in 2019, had gotten worse in his ankles, knees and elbows.

The keepers also discovered that fluid had accumulated around Murphy’s heart. He was euthanized on Dec. 23 after more than 25 years of life at the National Zoo.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.