Sea lion plays with visitors at St. Louis Zoo

SAINT LOUIS (WLS) -- The St. Louis Zoo calls her the "world's most playful sea lion."

Mia is a 4-year-old California sea lion that has thrilled visitors to the St. Louis Zoo for years.

She will often come right up to the glass in the zoo's underwater exhibit, and chase visitors' hands or gloves around the tunnel.

Susan Gallagher, PR Director at the zoo, says Mia is well-known among patrons, and will even sit quietly on a rock at the bottom of the exhibit while kids try to draw her.

Mia is one of several of sea lions in the exhibit, though she doesn't actually perform in the zoo's regular trainer shows.

California sea lions are mostly found on the West Coast, as far south as Mexico and as far north as British Columbia, Canada. Females like Mia can grow up to 6.5 feet in length and can weigh up to 225 lbs., while males can reach 8 feet in length and up to 800 lbs.!