#kandu

It's a little unfortunate that our two month anniversary is on April Fools but it is what it is ❤️

When did Kandu die?

Kandu was one of five in the first group of killer whales caught by Ted Griffin in February 1967. The others were Ramu, Kilroy, Katy and Skana. Ramu and Kilroy were quickly (within a month) sold to SeaWorld where they joined Shamu, Skana went to Vancouver Aquarium, and Katy died still at Seattle after a few months.

Kandu remained at Seattle Marine Aquarium for a few years, as other whales came (were caught) and went (were sold). Finally in December 1969, almost three years after her collection, Kandu was sold to SeaWorld. This was five months before SeaWorld in Aurora, Ohio was opened.

The official story I've seen is that she went to San Diego first, then was moved to Ohio, back and forth, and in the early summer of 1971, she went there with Kilroy, and then she finally died in late summer 1971.

The source I read this from originally stated she died on June the 16th, 1971, and that we don't know if she died in Ohio or if she ever saw the new whale and dolphin stadium in San Diego (which was finished that year).

It's besides the point, but if she died in June and was going back and forth between California and Ohio, it's likely she died in Ohio, since the whales went to Ohio in spring and came back in fall.

The thing is - I can't find any evidence she was ever actually at San Diego. The only photos of her are taken at Seattle Marine Aquarium and SeaWorld Ohio.

Ceta Base also says she died on June 16th, 1971.

Orcapod Wiki however, says she died on February the 3rd, 1971. That is no minor margin of error (whoever is making the error).

So I went through some newspaper archives, searching her name and coming up with nothing about her death, but then searched "killer whale dead" in 1971, and found this, dated February 15, 1971:

One of the most popular warm-blooded creatures in Ohio has died in California

Shamu, the immensely popular performing killer whale at the Sea World in Aurora near Geauga Lake Park, no longer will entertain and delight the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who annually visit the recreational park.

In this, its obituary, it should be noted that Shamu’s terminal illness lasted about a month and the cause of death was given as stomach ulcers complicated by anemia and pneumonia.

The marine show's star performer, Shamu was the first and only killer whale to perform in Ohio. But, more than that, the 3,300-pound whale was the largest of a group belonging to the Sea World marine shows and was considered the best performer of the group.

The amazing feats performed by Shamu delighted young and old but especially the children of the Buckeye State. Fortunately they may be consoled somewhat by the knowledge that another Shamu will be brought to Ohio to carry on the entertainment tradition-of Ohio’s first killer whale.

Note that this is not the Shamu. She died from septicemia and pyometra in San Diego in August, and never lived in Ohio. What is strange is that they describe this "Shamu" as the biggest whale.

The real Shamu was born around 1962. SeaWorld also had Ramu, Kilroy and Kandu, and of these, Kilroy was the smallest, Kandu was estimated to have been born in 1966, and Ramu in 1965, so he was slightly larger.

Kilroy did leave for Ohio in May 1971, true to the story here that a new killer whale would come to replace "Shamu".

I am still confused about Kandu's death date, whether she ever lived in San Diego, and now there is a third question about why they describe this whale as the biggest and best performer.

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Man I sure have a lot of batsonas. it's still not enough I think

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VHS lover :)

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Kiss gone wrong

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