Andre the Seal Dies in Maine; 1986 JULY 20
Andre the seal, who swam here each spring from southern New England and was the subject of at least two children's books, was found dead Saturday at the age of 25, his trainer said.
Until this year Andre would perform tricks for tourists at feeding time, but when he was spotted in Rockland this June 14, he shunned a crowd that gathered to watch.
Andre's body was found on a deserted stretch of shore in Rockland, about eight miles from his summer home, a floating pen in the harbor here, said the trainer, Harry Goodridge. He said he and a veterinarian confirmed the body was Andre's by the seal's size and its scars.
Harry Goodridge, 74, Seal Trainer in Maine
1990 April 6 —Harry Goodridge, whose friendship with Andre the seal captivated a wide audience for 25 years, died Wednesday at a hospital here. He was 74 years old.
Mr. Goodridge, a tree surgeon and professional scuba diver, found Andre in 1961 as a pup, apparently abandoned by its mother.
In summers, Andre was kept in a floating pen and entertained summer visitors by performing tricks with Mr. Goodridge.
When Andre was allowed to be free in the winter, his habit of clambering aboard and sinking anchored dinghies annoyed fishermen, prompting Mr. Goodridge to ship the seal to aquariums in Boston or Mystic, Conn.
With the end of winter, the seal was released for a swim back up the coast to Rockport that became an annual event.
Andre died in 1986, after he was sighted with bruises apparently suffered in a fight with another male seal. The 5-foot, 250-pound seal was buried in a pasture behind Mr. Goodridge's home.
Mr. Goodridge is survived by his wife, Thalice, a son and four daughters.
