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and the basis for sound
     decision-making entrusted largely to us, Robin and I were convinced that we could
     much improve Keiko’s chances of success.
    Although the usual suspects in the fanatical faction of the animal rights movement
     were definitely involved in the Keiko Release Project, fortunately they were contained
     at the board level or stayed on the periphery of the project, well away from Klettsvik
     Bay, Iceland. Ironically or poetically, people with a zoological background were the
     frontline running the operation. Surreal in many ways, they had employed the very
     people they campaigned against in order to facilitate Keiko’s release to the wild.
    This was true from the start, including Keiko’s first journey from Mexico to Newport,
     Oregon, throughout his care there and onto his transport to Iceland. Keiko was constantly
     under the supervision of individuals from the zoological community. This was very
     odd and always stood out to me like a huge elephant in the room; one that no one dared
     discuss openly.
    At the time of our initial contact with the project, the actual personnel attending
     to Keiko’s day-to-day care in Iceland were individuals with whom Robin had worked
     in the past—namely Jeff Foster and Peter Noah, the two on-site project managers. Jeff
     and Peter both shared an animal background not unlike that of Robin’s and mine. They
     were not raised in the culture of anti-captivity supporters and were therefore down-to-earth
     in their approach to the project and us.
    Their way of thinking about Keiko’s release was based on their experience, not a philosophy.
     Jeff and Peter’s leadership stemmed the radical tide, and to a certain extent, made
     the project palatable. Ultimately, the people and the perspective emanating from the
     frontlines with Keiko made our decision for us.
The Proposal
    Upon Robin’s return to Orlando following his initial visit, Dave and I commenced lengthy
     and relentless interrogation. Dave was our third in the “three amigos” makeup of our
     new company. He shared a similar background with me, having worked with killer whales
     and studied behavioral sciences. It was our job to take what Robin reported—his evaluations
     and opinions—and put all of this into a reintroduction outline and formal proposal,
     a plan deeply rooted in behavioral rehabilitation or the systematic reprogramming
     of Keiko.
    Once completed, this proposal was presented to Ocean Futures Society (OFS), a newly
     formed nonprofit born of a joint alliance between the Jean-Michel Cousteau Institute
     and the FWKF. OFS was the front line in the management of Keiko’s day-to-day needs;
     however, they answered to the FWKF board on all things “Keiko.” Our proposal represented
     a vast divergence from their previous approach and placed the principal focus of Keiko’s
     release on behavioral modification. It also positioned our company as subcontractor
     to OFS for implementing the plan.
    Apparently OFS found some favor in our outlined plan of reintroduction, but exactly
     what I do not know. To our dismay, the project’s head veterinarian, Dr. Lanny Cornell
     and the board of directors did not consider that
behavior
had anything to do with Keiko’s preparation for release. This shortcoming left a
     cataclysmic gap in their concept of Keiko’s introduction to the wild. Amidst all the
     management inadequacies apparent thus far, including lack of experience with killer
     whales and the absence of a structured release plan, this was the Grand Canyon of
     them all. They blatantly failed to recognize or even consider the impact of Keiko’s
     life over the past two decades and his learning history. Quite simply, they believed
     that Keiko would “figure it out.” Much like the flatbed trailer scene in
Free Willy
, in which Willy was backed into the sea from a boat ramp, the leadership of the FWKF
     believed Keiko’s release was primarily logistics, just getting him to Icelandic