Oregonians may have a special place in their hearts for Keiko, the killer whale that became famous because of the Oregon-filmed movie, “Free Willy,” and who later lived at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, in Newport. Amid calls for Keiko to be liberated from that inadequate facility, the orca was moved in January 1996 to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. While some experts believed that Keiko’s years in captivity made the idea of returning him to the wild unrealistic, others were committed to setting Keiko free. According to the press release, “The Good Whale,” which launched on Nov. 14, tells the story of “the wildly ambitious science experiment to return Keiko to the ocean – while the world watched. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @KristiturnquistOur journalism needs your support.

Source: New York Times November 16, 2024 21:22 UTC