WASHINGTON - Nearly 60 days after the orca whale Keiko left his sea pen in Iceland this summer as part of a historic and unprecedented effort to reintroduce him to the wild, visual observations made in Norwegian waters confirm that he is in excellent health. During the past three days, Keiko Project staff obtained close-range photos and video documenting Keiko's physical condition.

Dr. Lanny Cornell, Keiko's lead veterinarian and an expert with more than 30 years of experience with orca whales stated:

"I have reviewed the photos just taken of Keiko, and it is clear to me that Keiko is fit and thriving. After 60 days at sea and traveling more than one thousand miles, Keiko is strong and does not appear to have lost any weight whatsoever. There can no longer be any doubt that Keiko has foraged successfully."

Keiko's crossing of the North Atlantic began on July 29th, when he was last seen in the company of a group of wild whales and began swimming in an easterly direction away from Iceland. Over the next several weeks he covered more than 1,000 miles. A satellite tag continues to provide data on his location and has also recorded his frequent dives to depths greater than 50 meters. Throughout the past 60 days, project staff has continued to monitor both his position and diving behavior as well as to seek opportunities to obtain visual observations of Keiko.

Yesterday, however, Keiko's reintroduction to the wild suffered a setback when he followed a Norwegian fishing vessel and entered a small harbor in Norway. Keiko project staff, who have been in Norway monitoring his VHF signal since his approach to the coast, were able to locate Keiko, but not before he had interacted with several vessels and members of the public, some of whom evidently provided food to him and entered the water. Project staff remain on site in Norway to monitor Keiko's status and educate people about the project's goals.

Dave Phillips, Director of the Free Willy Keiko Foundation, stated:

"By all accounts, Keiko has made phenomenal progress this year. He's proving he has the skills to be a wild whale, but it is critical that he not be encouraged to come to boats or people." He continued: "We hope the public interactions are temporary and that Keiko is able to return to the open sea."

Paul Irwin, President of The HSUS, the organization playing a lead role in the operations of the Keiko Project, stated:

"We are appealing to all boaters to avoid Keiko and give him all the space he needs to be fully self-sufficient." He continued: "Our efforts in moving Keiko from captivity to the wild have always been directed by Keiko's best interests. We will continue to do exactly what is best for him."