Keiko the Killer Whale died

[Desert Arabian]

A member of Rats Rule (Rat Fan Club) posted this on the rat board, I thought I would post it here.



OSLO, Norway - Keiko, the killer whale, made famous by the 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. "He exhibited some signs of lethargy and lack of appetite," Richards told The Associated Press.

Richards said veterinarians had monitored Keiko's progress, but the whale died quickly.

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