October 18, 200718 yr Having a whale of a time: The little boy who goes swimming with a gentle giant By PETER SIMPSON - More by this author » Last updated at 21:42pm on 17th October 2007 Comments There is no mistaking the excitement on the four-year-old boy's face as he swims alongside a beluga whale many times his size. And the whale seems to be enjoying the company, too. The boy, named Yang Yang, will ride his playmate bareback to entertain the crowds between the sailing events at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Yang Yang, who has been swimming since he was one, was chosen to swim with the five-year-old whale by staff at Qingdao Polar Ocean World in China's eastern Shandong Province. Scroll down for more... Underwater friends: Yang Yang ducks deep with his favourite beluga whale. He has been a swimmer since he was one year old. Star attractions: Yang Yang reaches out to pat his favourite pal They first appeared in public together during the country's National Children's Day in the summer and proved such a success that it was decided to make them an Olympic attraction. The boy's parents think he is one of the luckiest in China, but others might disagree, bearing in mind the country's reputation for pushing young athletes to extremes. Yang Yang is one of about 280million children in China - representing about one-fifth of the child population of the world. Scroll down for more... Fearless: Young Yang Yang rides bare back with his very own big friendly giant Friends reunited: Yang Yang and his whale chum copy each other underwater. The unusual pair became firm friends after appearing together during China's National Children's Day. The whale's wild peers, however, are an endangered species. There are fewer than 80,000 beluga whales left in Arctic waters, with St Lawrence, Cook Inlet, and Alaskan belugas classified as endangered. The recently completed Qingdao Polar Ocean World is home to more than 10,000 ornamental fish, as well as white whales and polar bears - and is one of the largest polar marine animal parks in the world.
October 18, 200718 yr Author very nice story! Thanks! And doesn't it also remind you of Nirvana's famous album cover??
October 18, 200718 yr it remind me to a story that we had to translate in latin... about a guy that went to school by whale :surprised: nice story and lucky kid. :cool:
October 19, 200718 yr Thanks! And doesn't it also remind you of Nirvana's famous album cover?? yes!! I was thinking that everytime i look at the picture. Just the position of his body in the picture
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