December 12, 2003: Keiko died today.
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Can a killer whale, born in the ocean near Iceland but raised in aquariums in Iceland, Canada, Mexico and the United States, be returned to Iceland to live free in the ocean?
Despite enormous concerns for his well-being, Keiko, star of three "Free Willy" movies, appears to be making the slow transition well.
Born near Iceland in 1977 or 1978, Keiko was captured by Jon Gunnarson in 1979 and taken to Saedyrasfnid, an aquarium in Iceland. Three years later, he was purchased by the
Marineland Theme Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
At Marineland, Keiko was trained to perform for the public, but also began to get sick, with skin lesions forming. In 1985, they sold him to Reino Aventura, an amusement park
in Mexico City, for $350,000.
In 1992, Warner Bros. entered Keiko's life when they went to Reino Aventura to film "Free Willy", in which a killer whale is freed from an evil marine park owner. Publicity
from the film eventually resulted in a feature in Life (November 1993) about the terrible conditions at Reino Aventura - Keiko was clearly dying, and efforts began to find him a new home.
The work of the Earth Island Institute, an environmental advocacy group for marine animals, was instrumental in the eventual success of these efforts.
In November 1994, with $4 million donated by Warner Bros., New Regency productions and the McCaw Foundation, the Free Willy Foundation was formed. Later called the Free Willy Keiko Foundation,
in March 1999 it merged with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Institute to become Ocean Futures. It is this new organization that is now in charge of taking care of Keiko.
Within 4 months of the formation of the Free Willy Foundation, Reino Aventura agreed to donate Keiko to the organization, and the foundation and the Oregon Coast Aquarium partnered to
build a $7.3 million pool to house him. It was completed in December 1995, and shortly after, United Parcel Service (UPS) delivered Keiko to Newport, Oregon, using a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
Keiko thrived at the new facility, gaining 1,900 pounds in his first 18 months there.
There have now been 3 "Free Willy" movies, and each one resulted in increased pressure to get Keiko a better life. That initially meant getting him out of Mexico, but the focus soon turned
to the possibility of actually setting him free, as in the movies. The movies are "Free Willy", "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" and "Free Willy 3: The Rescue". As well, there is a documentary film available,
The Free Willy Story: Keiko's Journey Home.
In 1997, it was decided to attempt to reintroduce Keiko to the ocean. The location eventually chosen was Klettsvik Bay, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland. It offered a fairly
sheltered location close to his place of birth, and one that would be possible to enclose with a net while 'training' Keiko to live on his own. The photo to the right shows Keiko being lowered into Klettsvik Bay
in September 1998.
Vestmannaeyjar (the Westmann Islands) is an archipelago, made up of 15 larger islands and at least 30 islets,
located just off the south coast of Iceland. In 1967, the eruption of the Surtsey volcano, and in 1973, of Eldfell, on Heimaey, the largest of the islands, brought Vestmannaeyjar
to the world's attention. Now, interest in Keiko has again focussed a great deal of attention on Heimaey in particular
(map and photo)
Moving Keiko to Vestmannaeyjar was not an easy task. The only aircraft in the world capable of hauling a 35,000-pound load
and landing on a 3,900-foot airstrip is the C-17 Globemaster (photo to the left). The Free Willy Keiko Foundation hired the US Air Force, at a cost of about $300,000, to make the flight.
On September 9, 1998, Keiko was transferred back to Iceland.
A crucial component of Keiko's care since arriving in Iceland has been the pen he lives in. Designed by
Fathom23 in Washington State, it is 250 feet long, 100 feet wide and 24 feet deep, making it the largest of its type ever built. Click on the photo of the
pen to the right to enlarge it. This enclosure, now termed the baypen, has every feature that could be thought of for Keiko's welfare, from a huge cradle lift for medical exams, to a zippered
door that would make his release into the bay easy.
In January 2000, the whole of Klettsvik Bay was cordoned off with a net, to give Keiko about 800,000 square feet to explore. The net, 925 feet long, was specially designed
for the extreme conditions found at the mouth of the bay. Extreme tidal currents and surges are common, but it has also withstood winds of up to 130 miles per hour since
Keiko's arrival.
On March 3, 2000, Keiko had his first swim in the open bay.
Keiko is still dependent upon humans for his food, and therefore his life. He still clearly enjoys the company of humans. Will he ever make the transition back to his real home?
Only time will tell.
Around the world, zoos and aquariums are coming under increasing pressure for their treatment of animals. While they provide wonderful educational
opportunities that cannot be duplicated any other way, is the cost to the animals acceptable? From zoo volunteers to animal rights militants, the range of opinions is
enormous - what do you think?
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The photo of Keiko's pen is ©1998-2002 by Fathom23, Inc., and is used here with permission.
Other photographs are by the United States Air Force, and are used here with permission
(the portrait of Keiko, and the photo of his arrival in Iceland, are by Tech. Sgt. Lono Kollars)
