Wanderers in Wonder

Orcas off the coast of Norway.

Keiko, originally named Siggi, was born off the coast of Norway in 1976. Orcas, often referred to as Killer Whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. Males average 20 to 26 feet and 14,000 to 18,000 pounds. Females are 16 to 23 feet and 10, 000 to 14,000 pounds.

An Orca playing in a Norwegian Fjord. Keiko was captured in 1979 off the coast of Norway. From 1979 to 1985 Keiko lived in secured fjords and tanks with other Orcas.

Orcas are very social and live in groups as large as fifty. They cooperate on hunts and share the catch.

Orcas are ‘Apex Predators’ meaning they have no natural predators. They do fall victim to net tangles, overfishing, oil spills and captivity.

In 1985 Keiko was sold to an aquarium in Mexico City and became a performer.

We all know the story of this 1993 movie.

After his stellar performance in the ‘Free Willy’ Keiko was returned to his aquarium in Mexico City. Life became difficult for Keiko. He lost weight. He was down to 7,700 pounds by late 1995. He developed a skin disease. He was relegated to a small tank. He lived alone.

Word of Keiko’s plight slowly spread. School children in Oregon took up the challenge and with help from Warner Brothers, the producers of the movie ‘Free Willy’, several million dollars were raised to ‘Free Keiko’. A massive tank was built at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, OR with filters to sterilize the waters and Keiko was brought to his new home in 1996.

Keiko was a major hit, millions came to see the star of ‘Free Willy”. But the ‘Free Keiko’ crowd wanted more. They really wanted to ‘Free Keiko’. For two years Keiko was nursed back to health. He gained a few thousand pounds. His skin was returned to health. Keiko was shipped home to Norway in 1998. For four years Keiko was slowly reintroduced to the wild. But, he did not bond with the other Orcas. A debate ensued between those in the project who wanted Keiko returned to the wild and those who thought he would never make it in the wild.

Keiko was released into the North Sea in 2002. He died at the age of twenty seven less than a year later. He never bonded with another group of Orcas. In the wilds a male Orca can live to fifty or more, females sixty or more. Captive Orcas rarely live past thirty.

Rest in Peace Keiko.

We visited the aquarium during our stay art Beverly Beach State Park. And what a lovely park it is…right on the beach, six miles north of Newport, whales blowing spouts all over the place and home to ‘Mo’s’ a classic clam chowder shack.

Peace…Wanderers in Wonder.