Free Willy ( Keiko ) whale dies

[jjcollins]

Keiko, the killer whale that starred in the film Free Willy, has died in Norway at the age of 27, 18 months after he was returned to the wild. The six-ton whale apparently suffered a sudden bout of pneumonia in the fjord where he had been living.

Keiko was captured when two, but after the success of the film, he was freed from cramped conditions in Mexico City. After his release into the wild in Iceland, Keiko swam to Norway, where he became a popular attraction.

Killer whales live an average of 35 years in the wild. Keiko became ill very quickly, according to Dane Richards who looked after the mammal.

"He exhibited some signs of lethargy and lack of appetite," Mr Richards told the Associated Press.

"We checked his respiration rate and it was a little irregular ... he wasn't doing too well. Early in the evening, he passed away," said Mr Richards.

"They really do die quickly and there was nothing we could do," said Nick Braden, a spokesman of the Humane Society of the United States.



He's now really free


jj..........

 

[Clarey]

Oh how sad

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

I'd just read this on the news, JJ. Very sad. To what age to whales normally live? Just have to wonder whether setting him free was the right thing. Let's hope he enjoyed his last 18 months of freedom, anyway

 

[jjcollins]

Annie - Killer whales can live an average of 35 years in the wild.


jj.........

 

[Olaf]

My husband's squadron was the one which transported this poor animal to Iceland several years ago. We broke a very expensive plane doing it, but that's beside the story. The truth is this whale should have stayed in captivity in Washington state (I think it was WA). He had wonderful tank and a very knowledgeable staff. He never made the transition successfully to the wild (as many experts predicted), he always seemed to need human contact. Whether that be for affection and/or food is anybody's guess. It's just a tragic story from the get go.

 

[jjcollins]

Well i have to disagree -- Keiko was released from Iceland in July 2002, but he swam straight for Norway on an 870-mile trek that seemed to be a search for human companionship.

He first turned up near the village of Halsa in late August or early September of 2002. There, he allowed fans to pet and play with him, even crawl on his back, becoming such an attraction that animal protection authorities imposed a ban on approaching him.

Keiko lived in Taknes Bay, a clear, calm pocket of coastal water deep enough that it doesn't freeze in winter. Keepers fed him there, but he was free to roam and did, often at night.

He was equipped with a VHF tracking device that let his four handlers pinpoint his location provided he stayed within a range of about five miles.

Keiko's keepers said the whale seemed to adapt to living in the wild despite so many years in captivity, learning to slap his tail and do jumps called side breaches that are typically done to stun fish.

To keep Keiko in shape, his caretakers took him on "walks," leading him around the fjords from a small boat at least three times a week.



Better than some Tank don't you think!!!!



jj............

 

[Olaf]

You call that transitioning to the wild? Over $20 million dollars was spent trying to get this animal out there again. The effort was well meaning, but misguided.

I was wrong, it was Oregon.

 

[jjcollins]

How can you say misguided. He was Free not stuck in a gold fish bowl. No Whale deserves to be stuck in a tank -- $20 million dollars - I Wonder how much he made for his captors over the years????



jj.........

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

I read this on Skynews, Bless, Now he is free.

 

[Olaf]

After reading several of the articles on Keiko this weekend (they had to get into small boats and lead him around for exercise), I think a plausible argument can be made that this animal was much happier in his gold fish bowl. Killer whales are social animals, they live and travel in pods, and this poor guy was up there all alone.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1106683,00.html