The Winter/Spring 1995 Ocean Alert (formerly the Dolphin Alert) is an Earth Island Institute publication.
Keiko, the orca which starred in the 1993 hit film, Free Willy, leaps in the air.
For more than a year, controversy has swirled around the plight of Keiko, the orca that played the role of "Willy" in Warner Bros.' hit film, Free Willy. Would Keiko stay at Reino Aventura, a Mexico City theme park that is inadequate for his needs, or end up in another country? Would he ever make it back to the wild?
Our project took on a prominent role in coordinating rehabilitation efforts for Keiko. On November 21, 1994, IMMP announced that Warner Bros. and New Regency Productions had donated an initial seed grant of $2 million to establish the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation.
EII Executive Director David Phillips said that the Foundation will vigorously pursue plans to relocate Keiko to a larger facility, where his health problems can be treated. The ultimate goal is to return him to the wild. Phillips called the plan, "...a major undertaking that will require top scientists, veterinarians, and a huge funding commitment. But, if Keiko's rehabilitation efforts are successful, he could be the first captive orca ever released back to the wild. That would be an unparalleled success story."
Keiko's rehabilitation is difficult because of a skin condition he has developed. While not life threatening, it must be cured before he can return to the wild. He is also underweight from spending many years in captivity and needs to be in cold sea water that approximates his original habitat off the coast of Iceland. Keiko is about 15 years old and weighs approximately 8,000 pounds - roughly the weight of 53 average-sized adults.
For the past seven months, we have been developing a proposal to construct a new deep-water tank for Keiko at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, OR. If moved there, Keiko would no longer be a performing animal. Instead, the focus would be on his rehabilitation. "It is a perfect site with a dedicated team ready to go," said Phillips. The Free Willy/Keiko Foundation needs an additional $6 million necessary to realize the plan.
In addition to its initial contribution, Warner Bros.' has committed to seek worldwide funds through the upcoming release of the sequel, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, and to plan benefit movie premieres around the world.
"It is one of the largest corporate contributions ever for a threatened species. Warner Bros. has already worked closely with us to educate millions of people about the world's whales, and they deserve a lot of credit for jump-starting the new Foundation's efforts," said Phillips.
Though organizing and funding Keiko's rehabilitation plan will be a challenge, Phillips is optimistic. "Millions of people - school kids, scientists, and businesspeople - across the country want to see the right thing done for Keiko. He has come to symbolize the public's concern for the plight of whales," Phillips said.
Press release Feb 6 "Plan launched...for Keiko".
Go to IMMP table of contents.
Ocean Alert - Winter / Spring 1995.
http://www.earthisland.org/immp/immp2.html