Turkey Pardon: First Bird Pardoned by President Obama Dies at Seven

Courage, the first turkey pardoned by President Obama, is dead. He was seven-years-old.

"Courage, you are hereby pardoned," President Obama had said in a ceremony on November 25, 2009. "You shall live. In Disneyland."

Obama's older daughter, Malia, was present at the ceremony and commented that Courage "looks like a large chicken."

Courage had arrived at the White House as a 20-week-old, 45-pound bird. He had been raised on the Bryant Worley Family Farm in Princeton, North Carolina.

The night before the ceremony, Courage and his handlers stayed at the Willard Hotel in Washington.

Courage was one of nearly two dozen turkeys that the Worleys raised that year with the plan of picking two to pick the trip to the White House.

Courage was selected along with Carolina who would have taken over if something had happened to Courage (like acting up and biting someone before the ceremony).

While Courage received the pardon, both turkeys were actually spared.

After the ceremony, they were sent to Disneyland where they lived on Frontierland property.

At some point he was moved to other Disney property in Anaheim where he lived with horses.

No longer in danger of being eaten, he was put on a healthy diet and reportedly slimmed down quite a bit.

While it's believed Courage died of natural causes, fowl play has not been ruled out.

Patch has not been able to determine if Carolina is still alive.

On Wednesday, Obama pardoned his last turkey as president.

Patch's Ashley Ludwig contributed to the report

Photo via the White House