BOSTON (AP) – The New England Aquarium will suspend its popular sea lion show at the end of the year and relocate the four animals until it can raise enough money to build a more up-to-date home for them, aquarium management said.

The current facility where sea lions have lived and performed for three decades – a harbor barge – is considered substandard for the animals at a time when more natural habitats are considered appropriate.

The aquarium at one time thought of building a new expanded home for the playful sea lions, who wave and smile at visitors during their shows, but scrapped those plans when a severe budget crisis hit starting in 2001, The Boston Globe reported Saturday.

The process of finding new homes for the sea lions has been difficult, said Billy Spitzer, the aquarium’s vice president for programs and exhibits. The animals and trainers develop a relationship.

“It’s stressful,” said Cheryl Clark, a senior marine mammal trainer who has worked at the aquarium since 1985. “You try to prepare yourself the best you can for them to leave, but it’s hard after you’ve known them for 20 years.”

Staff have spent months looking for new homes for the animals – Tyler, Guthrie, Zuma and Ballou – all of which weigh more than 300 pounds. The aquarium would not say which new locations are being considered or when the last show would be.

This is not the first time the aquarium has dropped a show because of outdated facilities. In 1991, the aquarium halted its dolphin exhibit because the mammals needed more space than could be provided, Spitzer said.

The prevailing wisdom these days is that habitats for marine mammals should be more natural, said Nina Young, director of marine wildlife conservation at the Ocean Conservancy in Washington D.C.

For sea lions, that would include rock formations for the animals to climb on, she said.

Sea lions live longer and are generally in better health in more natural settings, she said.

The aquarium’s five daily sea lion shows consistently rank among the institution’s top three exhibits, spokesman Tony LaCasse said.

AP-ES-07-17-04 1748EDT