Lambchop, a Hawaiian monk seal who was a more than 30-year resident of Sea Life Park, died Tuesday from a sudden decline in health from age-related kidney disease, according to a statement released by the park.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share this sad news,” said Valerie King, general manager of Sea Life Park. “As one of the oldest known Hawaiian monk seals, Lambchop was a part of our ohana for decades and a favorite among our volunteers and guests. She was a special ambassador for her kind, raising awareness about the threats to the Hawaiian monk seal and sharing her sweet and distinct personality with everyone who had the privilege to care for her. She’ll be deeply missed.”

Lambchop was brought to the park in extremely emaciated condition from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 1987, when she was around 2 years old. Park officials rehabilitated her, and over the years she contributed to groundbreaking research that led to the development of the morbillivirus vaccine currently used to treat wild monk seal populations. Morbillivirus outbreaks have killed tens of thousands of seals worldwide since the 1980s, according to Sea Life Park.

Officials also recalled the impact Lambchop had on the community.

“We had a Make-a-Wish child visit with her, and that was the child’s one special wish: to get to meet Lambchop,” said Dana Jones, volunteer coordinator for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Preservation Ohana, an adjunct organization under the nonprofit Conservation Council for Hawaii. “It was an incredibly special moment. That’s the kind of effect Lambchop had on everyone, and the kind of legacy she leaves behind.”

The average age of a Hawaiian monk seal is 25 to 30 years, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.