The Transportation of Nemo from Clacton to Windsor Safari Park (1984)

 
 

News coverage of the move of Nemo the killer whale from Clacton Pier to Windsor Safari Park in 1984.
 
 
A crane arrived on Clacton Pier to move Nemo into her transport tank for the trip to Windsor Safari Park.
The picture above shows the harness in which Nemo will be carefully placed into and then gently lowered
into the transport tank.
 
Nemo was removed from Clacton Pier on 22nd June 1984 after he outgrew his pool and moved to Windsor Safari Park, but not without mishap. Nemo the length and weight of an average family car posed some
problems to his transporters.
It took four attempts to get him into a specially designed stretcher to take him the deeper pool at Windsor Safari Park. Then the crane being used to lift Nemo into a specially designed foam crate crashed through
part of the Clacton Pier causing a three hour delay.
Finally Nemo, smothered in lanoline, arrived at his new home. The excitement caused by his arrival in
a holding pool cause a dolphin in the next pool to give birth prematurely to her baby.
Windsor Safari Park officials were hoping that he would 'hit it off' with their female killer whale Winnie.
Nemo was at Clacton Pier for 3 years.
 
 
Nemo is carefully lowered in to the transport tank and then covered in lanolin, a yellow grease that
protects Nemo's skin and prevents it from drying out.
 
Nemo
Male
Icelandic
Estimated year of birth: 1980
Captured 10/1981 at Selvogsbanki, Iceland
Held at Sædyrasafnid, Iceland and then Clacton Pier, UK until 06/1985
Measurements at death: 15 feet (4.6 meters) 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms)
Died on 11/17/1986 at Windsor Safari Park
Captive time: 5 years 1 month
Cause of death: Cancer of the Bone Marrow
 
 
The final preparations before the journey to Windsor Safari Park
 
 
Nemo with Winnie at Windsor Safari Park after his move from Clacton Pier
 
 
Nemo and Winnie together at Windsor
 
Suzie Wong - The move to Clacton Pier
 
 
Suzie Wong arriving at Clacton Pier (1978)
 
 
A delicate operation getting Suzie prepared for her move to Clacton (1978)
 

Susie Wong (aka. Hoi Wai) flew out of the UK from Heathrow Airport to her new home in Hong Kong.
It was a tricky but successful journey for Susie as she was 3 years old and weighed
one-and-a-half tons. She was covered in lanolin & ice was added to her container to keep her cool.
The journey to Hong Kong from the UK took 16 hours & Suzie had a comfortable ride with no signs
of stress, she was not fed during the journey.
Susie arrived at Ocean Park in Hong Kong at the start of the chinese new year, she left the UK on
Saturday 27th January 1979 and stayed & performed in Hong Kong until she passed away in 1997.
 
 
 
 

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