In just four days, the San Diego Zoo lost three of its most charismatic residents. On Aug. 14, Kalluk, a 24-year-old polar bear, and Nicky, a 28-year-old Masai giraffe were euthanized after mounting health problems. On Aug. 18, Maka, a 30-year-old gorilla, died after a cardiac event.
Zoo officials described it as “one of the most challenging periods in recent memory.”
Like many San Diegans, muralist Paul Jimenez was shocked by the news.
“ I've been going to the zoo since I was a child, and they're roughly the same age as I am,” Jimenez said. “So I pretty much grew up with these animals, so I felt a connection.”
Jimenez was compelled to memorialize the animals he’d known his whole life. Within days of Maka’s death, he reached out to a property owner he had previously discussed working with and got permission to put up a mural near 17th Street and Market Street.
“ I got here like at 5 p.m. and I left here at 1:30 in the morning, and it was finished,” he said.
With emotional memorial pieces like this, he said he likes to work fast.
“Something just gets in me, and I kind of get into a trance. I can't really recall painting this one; I just remember starting, and then it's finished and I'm going home and falling asleep and sleeping for the next day.”
Jimenez said his group, Ground Floor Murals, is busy with other projects, but this one was important to him. He found the time and even bought all the paint himself. He’s painted memorials for other legendary San Diego figures, including Chargers great Junior Seau and Padres owner Peter Seidler. He felt Kalluk, Nicky and Maka deserved the same honor.
“ These animals, in particular, have brought me a relationship with my mom. They've given me more reasons to care about the planet. They've given me knowledge and excitement,” he said. “Hopefully, this is my way of paying them back.”
Nicky was the oldest Masai giraffe in North America and the matriarch of her herd. Polar bear Kalluk, according to a statement from the zoo, “will be fondly remembered for his inquisitive nature, his gentle demeanor, and his quick learning abilities.” Maka, born at the zoo, was the leader of his gorilla troop and had a genetic condition that required special care throughout his life. All three animals had been staples at the zoo since 2001.
Now, thanks to Jimenez’s mural, the animals will remain visible to San Diegans for many years to come. Reflecting on the project, Jimenez said, “I just felt a strong obligation to paint these guys."
