12/15/2003

in

Renata Robertson

Keiko, the 27-year-old killer whale who became famous for his role in the"Free Willy" movies, died Friday from pneumonia in the Norwegian coastalwaters.  
  
Keiko started showing signs of lethargy and loss of appetite on Thursday.Veterinarians began treating him with antibiotics, but were unaware howsick he was. Dale Richards, one of Keiko's handlers, told The AssociatedPress, "we checked his respiration rate and it was a little irregular...he wasn't doing too well. Early on Friday evening, he passed away."  
  
Keiko, a six-ton, 35-foot-long killer whale was captured in Iceland in 1979and sold to the marine park industry. In 1993, the whale made his firstonscreen appearance in the Warner Brothers movie, "Free Willy."  
  
After being found at an aquarium in Mexico City, in very poor health, Keikowas sent back to Iceland where more than $20 million was spent to teach thekiller whale to re-adapt to living in the wild, which included teachingKeiko to catch live fish that cost more than $500,000 a month.  
  
After being released from Iceland in 2002, Keiko swam toward Norway,leaving his handlers to believe he was in search of human companionship. Hebecame a human attraction near the village of Halsa, but bans were imposedby the animal protection authorities to keep people from approaching thekiller whale.  
  
Keiko was equipped with a VHF tracking device that helped the keepersmonitor his location while he lived in the Taknes Bay. His keepers said hedid adjust to living in the wild despite being in captivity for so long.Nick Braden, a spokesman of the Humane Society of the United States, said,"it's a really sad moment, but we believe we gave him a chance to be in the wild."