BBC Interviews David Phillips About Keiko Rehab and Release (with Video)

By Mark J. Palmer

Last March, the BBC interviewed David Phillips, Executive Director of the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute and founder of the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation.

Dave spearheaded the successful effort to rehabilitate and release Keiko, the orca star of the hit movie Free Willy, to his home waters in Iceland. It was the first and only such release of a captive orca to freedom.

Enjoy the full BBC radio interview here.

Free Willy came out 30 years ago in 1993, educating millions of people about the plight of orcas in captivity and informing a generation of children on the damage that captivity inflicts on orcas.

This year is also the tenth anniversary of the hard-hitting documentary Blackfish, spotlighting the abuse of orcas by SeaWorld and the captivity industry.

Free Willy garnered substantial attention and public praise, but also raised the issue of what would become of the orca “star” of the movie, still languishing in a concrete pool in a small aquarium in Mexico City. What was being done for Keiko?

Film director Richard Donner and Warner Brothers approached Dave to establish a campaign to rehabilitate and move Keiko to his native waters in Iceland. It was a monumental challenge, but Dave and the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation systematically resolved logistical, financial, medical and safety issues and protected Keiko, preparing him for a life in the ocean.

Eventually, Keiko, after rehabilitation and training in catching live fish, spent five years in his home waters in a seaside sanctuary and eventually swam free in the North Atlantic.

NOTE: The BBC got it only half right when mentioning that Dave just retired. He did step down as Executive Director of Earth Island Institute, but he has actually returned fulltime as Director of IMMP, which is great news for our staff, whales and dolphins.

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The International Marine Mammal Project is in the forefront of efforts to end the captivity of all whales and dolphins worldwide and retire existing captives to seaside sanctuaries. Your donations help close down or block construction of marine parks that hold whales and dolphins and promote retirement of existing captives. Whales and dolphins belong with their families in the ocean, not in small concrete tanks. Thank you for support!