Storms delay release of Keiko the killer whale

Keiko's release into a larger enclosure off the coast of Iceland has been delayed by storms

February 26, 2000
Web posted at: 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 GMT)

In this story: Captive almost his entire life Under care of Cousteau organization RELATED STORIES, SITES

VESTMANNAEYJAR, Iceland -- Keiko, the killer whale made famous in the 1992 film "Free Willy," will not be released into Klettsvik bay, Iceland, for several days because nets have been damaged by storms, his trainers say.

The trainers say they will continue with the world's first attempt to break a captive killer whale of his reliance on humans and return him to the wild.

	VIDEO
Watch Keiko the killer whale swim in his pen in Iceland. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K
	KEIKO'S ADVENTURE
Take a closer look at Keiko's 1998 journey from Oregon to Iceland

Trainers say Keiko has not been conditioned to hunt for the 140 pounds of food he needs each day, but they are optimistic about their attempts to wean him from human dependence.

When Keiko is released into the bay it will increase the size of the enclosure in which he is kept from the equivalent of one soccer field to 20. His final release to freedom is planned for next summer.

Keiko was born in the waters off Iceland nearly 13 years ago but has been captive almost his whole life.

In 1985 Keiko was bought by Reino Aventura amusement park in Mexico City, where he grew from 3 meters (10 feet) to about 6 meters (20 feet) -- too large to be comfortable in his pool.

Keiko weighed nearly 450 kilograms (1,000 pounds) less than he should have and suffered from an acne-like skin condition and digestive problems.

In 1994, Earth Island Institute, a San Francisco-based environmental group, formed the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation, the aim of which was eventually to return him to the North Atlantic Ocean off of Iceland.

Within a year, $9 million had been raised to build Keiko a huge pool at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon, where he was moved in 1996.

Two years later, Keiko was moved to the Westmann Islands in Iceland, free of his skin and digestive problems.

He is under the care of the Santa Barbara, California-based Ocean Futures organization, run by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the late French oceanographer Jacques Yves Cousteau.

Correspondent Jerrold Kessel contributed to this report.

Film documents Keiko's journey home
November 3, 1999
'Free Willy' star swims closer to freedom
March 10, 1999
'Willy' takes first step toward freedom
January 7, 1996

Oregon Coast Aquarium
  • Keiko News Central
Earth Island Institute
Ocean Futures

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