Kathy the Beluga Bids Bye

Kathy, a Beluga whale at the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, died on Friday at the age of 34. One of the most beloved animals at the NY Aquarium for her expressive face, Kathy outlived many Beluga whales, who live till 30. She was born in Canada and brought to Coney Island in 1974. She had a baby calf in 1981, "Nikki," for NYCI (New York City's First), the first baby beluga born in captivity to live for more than a few days; another calf was born in 1991. Her handler, Martha Hiatt, told the Times, "I always said that if Walt Disney made a beluga, it would have looked liked her." Kathy had contracted a bacterial infection which handlers had been treating with antibiotics, but after Kathy's appetite declined and recently stopped eating, the aquarium decided to euthanize her. Another Beluga, Marina, age 20, remains.

Raffi has a CD called Baby Beluga. Bluejake visited the NY Aquarium.