Killer Whale Keiko Dies of Pneumonia
OSLO, Norway - Keiko, the killer whale made famous by the “Free Willy” movies, has died, his caretakers said early Saturday.
The whale, who was 27, died Friday afternoon after the sudden onset of pneumonia in the Taknes fjord in Norway.
His handler, Dane Richards, said the disease struck the whale fairly quickly.
That’ll be a whale of a funeral to orca-strate.
Well, somebody had to say it.
well Mastema, if any whale deseved a magificent funeral, I’d say he’d be the “right” whale for it.
(Over 900 posts and I’m resorting to that ??!!)
Ah, well, at least he died relatively in freedom.
Keiko was a he? Huh; I knew “Keiko” was a girl’s name in Japan, so figured the whale was a she.
What can we say about Keiko? He lived a good life, consuming several hundred pounds of raw fish a week and smimming sometimes 1000 miles. It always seems more tragic when someone goes who you thought was the picture of health. To go from Orca pup, in the cold northern waters of the Atlantic, to being a hollywood star while still so young. He handled the pressure with characteristic poise. There were some embarrasments to be sure, like the time he got caught ogling Shamu centerfolds. The media had a field day with that one. But for the most part he was popular, especially with the ladys. Hung like a whale isn’t just an expression you know. . .
mmmmm…blubber…mmmm! ahlghhhah!
Don’t ingest sea water, folks… whales make A LOT of sperm!
Did I really type “ladys” up there?
Ughhh!!! My high school English teacher just rolled over in her grave.
Ladies Ladies Ladies Ladies Ladies
In an unrelated note, has anyone but me noticed how many of SanguineSpider’s posts are sex related?
Yeah, I knew there was a reason I search for her OP’s.
:eek:
Lies…
all lies!
Why would I lie about my high school English teacher?
Uh…so what will happen to the whale’s body? Are they grinding it up for fish food or let it float out to sea and stay there?
Hopefully they will take the body and sell the meat . . .
mmmmm… whale flesh . . . . :drools:
And I thought this was going to another Star Trek thread.
RIP, whale…
This sounds lame, but what a nice whale!
What a bummer. I saw Keiko often when he was still at the Newport Aquarium. My eldest grandson got to see him and still has his ‘Keiko’ plush whale. I’ve never seen “Free Willy” but I supported the decision to send him back home to Norway.
Yeah, but truthbot, his home was Iceland. He went to Norway himself, they reckon for human companionship. Poor poor Keiko …
He had been seperated from his family units since he was a baby. Maybe he was pining for the fjords?
How sad. Killer whales are such beautiful animals.
I wonder what happened with that amusement park they got him from - did they replace him with another whale or shut down that aspect? After all, it’s no better if there’s still another whale in that environment.
Man, the tribute to the dead at the 2004 Oscars is going to be huge.