This January finds Keiko active and healthy at the Taknes Bay site in Norway. For the first time since his capture more than twenty-two years ago, Keiko is not in a captive facility or a netted pen. Our field research staff, including Director Colin Baird, Associate Tobba Kristansdottir, and Assistant Frank Havak work with Keiko daily and live in a rental house adjacent to the site.

Our current priorities are to conduct activities to get ready for the arrival of wild orcas. Wild orcas in Norway follow schools of herring into the fjords. We expect to begin seeing wild orcas in February. Keiko's satellite tags are being reprogrammed and replaced so that we will be able to accurately monitor his travels. We are establishing contacts with fishing vessels and ferry boat operators in order to collect information about when are where wild orcas are spotted.

Keiko is being taken on daily walks to keep him active and fit. As was the practice in Iceland, we will again plan to "walk" Keiko to the proximity of wild orcas and then closely monitor his behavior. We will film and photograph the wild orcas we see to determine whether there are any photo ID matches with orcas seen in Iceland or Norway.

If Keiko chooses to follow wild whales, we will allow that to happen and continue to monitor his condition and activities.

This will be another exciting chapter in Keiko's story. Keep an eye on this site to stay aware of how Keiko is doing.

Dave Phillips
Director, Free Willy Keiko Foundation