Killing Keiko : the True Story of Free Willy''s Return to the Wild

In 1978, a young killer whale “Keiko” was collected off the east coast of Iceland and spent the next 18 years in human care. At Reino Aventura Park in Mexico, his home was not conducive to good health, and over time his condition deteriorated. In 1993, Keiko became the star of Free Willy, a Warner Bros. blockbuster movie, that enchanted the public and led children and adults to believe that a whale, long-held in the care of man, could successfully make its way in the wild. Animal rights organizations lobbied for a real-life release program for Keiko, similar to his fictitious counterpart, and millions of dollars were raised to return the orca back to his home waters. Author Mark Simmons was leader of the team of animal behaviorists brought to Iceland as part of the release project. But the program was doomed to failure from the start; plagued by hidden agendas and an organization unable to recognize that Keiko needed to learn to be wild before any chance at survival could exist. The true story of Keiko, the worlds most famous killer whale and his release to Icelandic waters has gone untold until now. Millions of Free Willy movie enthusiasts have been led to believe that Keikos return to the wild was a triumph, just like the Hollywood version. But according to author Mark Simmons, director of the Keiko Animal Behavior Team on the Keiko Release Project, the whales riveting story is one of unnecessary tragedy. Killing Keiko unveils the shocking evolution and collapse of the whales rehabilitation, covering his final trek across the North Atlantic to his heart-wrenching death in Norway. In life, Keiko was undoubtedly the most famous whale in history. In death, he became the most famous case of animal abuse the world could not yet fathom. Killing Keiko is an eye-opening, emotional account of what it took to study, care for and say good-bye to an unforgettable whale. Millions of Free Willy movie enthusiasts have been led to believe that Keiko's return to the wild was a triumph. But according to author Mark A. Simmons, director of the Animal Behavior Team on the Keiko Release Project, the whale's story is one of unnecessary tragedy. Killing Keiko unveils the evolution and collapse of the whale's rehabilitation, covering his final trek across the North Atlantic to his death in Norway