Killer whale Keiko to winter in a fjord

Keiko the film star killer whale who swam to the security of a Norwegian fjord after being returned to the wild will probably remain there under human care for the winter, his handler said today.

The six ton orca’s stardom in three Free Willy films launched a £13m (€20.7m) campaign to return him to freedom after 20 years in captivity.

He was released from his pen in Iceland in mid-July, but headed straight for the Skaalvik fjord, a swim of about 870 miles.

The friendly whale became an instant hit but was so mobbed by fans petting him, swimming with him and even climbing on his back that officials last week made it illegal to go closer than 165 feet.

His support team became worried when Keiko hovered listless near shore for several days, possibly due to shock or exhaustion from crowds, but vets have declared the 25-year-old healthy, Canadian Colin Baird, said.

“He’s much better now. He needed some peace and quiet.”

Even though they hoped Keiko would return to open waters and resume hunting his own food, his team began feeding him up to 110 pounds of fish a day on Sunday, two weeks after he arrived.

Experts had feared Keiko, accustomed to being fed by humans, was in danger of starvation if left on his own.

Baird said they were seeking an appropriate fjord for Keiko to over winter, hopefully somewhere quiet “where he can have contact with other killer whales.”

Many Norwegian coastal communities, including Halsa where he is, have started lobbying to keep Keiko during his golden years. Killer whales generally live to be about 35, according to his team.

Norway, the only country to commercially hunt whales despite a global ban, has vowed to help Keiko and said it will not allow him to be commercially exploited.

Keiko was captured near Iceland when he was two, spent most of life in captivity. He was airlifted to Iceland in 1998, where he was taught to catch live fish and released.