Killing Keiko

by Mark A. Simmons

The true story of Keiko, the world’s most famous killer whale and his release to Icelandic waters has gone untold until now. Millions of Free Willy movie enthusiasts have been led to believe that Keiko’s return to the wild was a triumph, just like the Hollywood version. But according to author Mark Simmons, director of the Keiko Animal Behavior Team on the Keiko Release Project, the whale’s riveting story is one of unnecessary tragedy. Killing Keiko unveils the shocking evolution and collapse of the whale’s rehabilitation, covering his final trek across the North Atlantic to his heart-wrenching death in Norway. In life, Keiko was undoubtedly the most famous whale in history. In death, he became the most famous case of animal abuse the world could not yet fathom.

Killing Keiko is an eye-opening, emotional account of what it took to study, care for and say good-bye to an unforgettable whale.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals

432 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2014

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars for this one. I bought this because I was interested in reading the opposite side of the captive whale issue. Unfortunately Simmons makes a very poor spokesman for his side in this book for a couple of different reasons. This first being that there is a bunch of random WFT stuff in this book. I really wasn't interested in him emails to his wife or his exploration of the town he was staying at while working with Keiko. I also wasn't that interested in his company and his contract negotiations. This book was filled with bloat about him that I just wasn't interested in and they were inserted at weird times. Strangely the part I wanted to read the most, where Keiko is started being introduced back into the wild and his time outside of captivity is barely cover. The very fact that there were only a couple chapters regarding his time after release makes the title a little deceiving to me.

The second thing that really really turned me off was the man's ego trip. Everyone was wrong he was the only one right. Everyone was stupid and blind and out to do stuff behind his back. Scientist didn't know as much as him nor anyone else. I was just reading about his interactions with his fellow team mates and thought he was a dick, I can't imagine what working with this guy was like. I'm sure he was trying to point out the things that were wrong with the project but when you say EVERYBODY is wrong except for you I start to wonder about the story line. It was clear he had an axe to grind with some people and it was very off putting as well.

What is sad is I thought he had some valid points but the way this book was written makes me want to disregard them.

[B. J. Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that everyone who supports HSUS and PETA should be forced to read.

[Hayley Leather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book. Mark Simmons is not necessarily the best writer in the world, so the story can be a bit choppy at times; however, this is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. As an animal trainer, I wholeheartedly believe this book is a must read for anyone who works with, or wants to work with animals. It is a sad story, a tragedy, but also a phenomenal behavioral analysis.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little wordy, but this book is a must read for anyone who has taken Blackfish at face value, or anyone who believes killer whales that have spent the majority of their lives under human care should be "freed" into the ocean. This book is quite terrifying for zoological caretakers, particularly those in the marine mammal field, who fear for the fate of their beloved animals should these extreme activists succeed in getting their hands on them.

"When impassioned people wrap themselves so completely in imagination and emotion, but leave knowledge, experience and critical thinking out of the equation, the outcome is almost always plagued with misfortune. Keiko did not die a justified death, nor did he die at a natural age. He was killed.”

Excerpt From: Simmons, Mark. “Killing Keiko.” Callinectes Press, 2014. iBooks.

[Miki]

I'm not impressed by this look at the botched release of the orca Keiko into the wild. Yes, it was a disaster and undoubtedly should have been handled differently. However, this report seems fictionalized to me.There was something off about the tone, and I'm not convinced of the veracity of all the author's statements about orcas in captivity.

[Niamh Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found the book is written with an air of arrogance especially when it comes to orca in captivity. I felt that it aired towards justifying captivity and I a lot of the content didn't seem believable. A sad story overall but not the insight I had hoped for.

[Emery Kavanagh · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF! Don't waste your time. This is the first book I didn't finish. Why? Because it was very clearly an opinion based book with no science to back it up. Supposedly he's a behavior specialist but his credentials or degree is never mentioned anywhere. He thinks Orcas are good at adapting to captivity. Yet fails to mention the Killer Whales that committed suicide, starved to death, died of infections caused by their polluted and unsalted watered tank. He says relationships with trainers are 50/50, which is incredibly ignorant. If you're stolen from your family, put in a tank the size of a prison for an Orca, and rely on food from trainers then that is not a 50/50 relationship like he claims. He says that trainers are safe as long as they follow the precautions because Orcas are apex predators. This statement shows his ignorance as well is spitting on the graves of the trainers who died from Orcas in captivity when they did in deed do everything they were told would be safe to do. Yes, Orcas can be apex predators but not all Orcas eat other mammals and he doesn't acknowledge this at all. Since he supports this horrid business, he clearly doesn't understand how they put different species of Orcas into the tank with one another. All Orcas aren't the same when it comes to behaviors and his lack of knowledge of this is highly concerning. The irony of the book being called "Killing Keiko" when his ignorance literally contributed to Keiko and other Orca's deaths. Orcas are not for humans to rule over. If you think so then you have no empathy as well as no knowledge of the science of Orca brains and behaviors.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In life, he was undoubtedly the most famous whale in history. In death, he became the most famous case of animal abuse the world could not yet fathom."

This book is utterly heartbreaking, but so important in a time where the complete misinformation and misrepresentation of zoological institutions is so disgustingly abundant. The human agenda and egos of those who do not support animals in human care took complete precedence over what was truly, and clearly, best for Keiko. Due to the neglect of those chasing their own agendas of "release at all costs" and the Humane Society's motto of "better dead than fed", Keiko's choice of human companionship was ignored, and he died starved, sick, and alone.

"If there is any hope of sustaining a species and its habitat... It will be born of the absolute union between zoological and wild animal sciences, not their division, and most certainly not from the exclusion of zoological experience. Keiko's death was the price paid for refusing this important truth."

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well timed release in the wake of the Blackfish documentary that has brought Killer Whales and animal cruelty to the forefront of debate.
The name Keiko might not be familiar to many people but mention Free Willy and you'll see recognition start to dawn on some faces.
This book is very well written and provides much background on the capture and release of not only Keiko but killer whales in general.
Where I think this one falls short is in it's clinical approach to story telling. This is an emotional story but that doesn't come through. What does come through is very cut and dry. Also, the amount of negativity about the lack of knowledge of most parties involved in caring for Keiko doesn't play to the heart strings but instead presents a lofty air for the author.
A good read, but not one that will light fires or calls to action of the younger generation who are the ones most likely to institute change.

[Emma Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Exactly why I hate ABA. An important message gets drowned out by this narrow, self-righteous, uneducated amusement park employee with a TINY understanding of, worship for and overapplication of a third rate teaching technique. Not that I'm biased. #fuckbehaviorism

[Camilla P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book does well in presenting a stark contrast to the false utopia of a former captive killer whale “simply swimming off into the sunset” to be with his kin. At first, I found extremely off putting statements such as “..there are those who’d have you believe that killer whales at marine parks are somehow different than their wild brethren, that the whales in zoological settings are crazed by years in “prison”. The author seems extremely dismissive of the effect captivity has on the animal at first, suggesting that it’s almost an okay thing to do as killer whales has the ability to adapt. As the book continues, the tone slightly changes. Mark represents the behavioral aspect of the failed rehabilitation- and that is a side I believe is deserving of far more attention. There are some good reflections and thoughts in the book, but at the same time I found it difficult to shake of the feeling that this book is written by an individual who conceptually believes that captivity of these incredibly emotionally intelligent animals is justified. Lot of mixed emotions about this one y’all, but wouldn’t dismiss it altogether.

[Bexx Louise Bullock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and heart breaking, the true story of why Keiko was always doomed to failure. Simmons portrays the political quagmire that Keiko was embroiled in with such clarity and passion, it’s hard to resist the anger that wells up directed straight at the fanatical animal rights movement who care nothing for animals welfare. Ignorance abounds amongst the loud voices and highly antagonistic motives of group of people who are thoroughly blinded by ambition, greed, and desperation for fame at any cost. They masquerade under the guise of altruism and use cheap tactics to convince the general public they labour for love of the animals they fail miserably to care for. Everyone who is involved in the care of animals should read this book, it’s poignantly truthful and pulls no punches. The reality of Keikos tragic life story, and the ending that should never haven been allowed to happen.

[Margy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing tended to meander and be a bit long-winded (100+ pages could have easily been edited out), but the story itself was quite interesting. I remember taking my kids to see Keiko in Oregon prior to his ocean "release" - and diligently followed his journey. This book, written by someone closely involved with his rehabilitation into the wild, pretty much invalidates the PR surrounding this animal at the time of, and after, his release. How sad - it appears he truly was not a good candidate for release.

[Nicola L · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I have reviewed this book here: http://mygoodbookshelf.wordpress.com/...

[Caitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark isn't too reliable a source, but there's some decent info here on the technical process of Keiko's release

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be upfront, I read only the first and final 20% of the book.

I was hoping for a neutral and top-down view of the entire situation, but this book was not it. The author seemed more interested in discussing his personal struggles and disdains in a holier-than-thou tone, which was quite off-putting. There was also a lot of very detailed dialogue, and even loving email exchanges with his wife included. Why was that necessary? The inclusion of so much dialogue and ranting made me feel like he was drafting a novel and spilling tea rather than a factual and meaningful recollection.

I also found it very distasteful that he dedicated the book to the children (now adults) who contributed to Keiko’s release. The way he disparaged everyone’s efforts (but his own) made this dedication seem like a mockery.

The main thing that this book made me aware of, was that everyone (even the author) has their own agenda and methods. This is understandable and provided some insight, but I did find it very ungracious to somewhat reduce McCaw’s substantial financial contributions to just a few meagre and not very flattering statements. Regardless of McCaw’s intentions, he walked the talk and actually contributed significant funds into this project for most of its lifespan.

It is sad that the author chose to write in such a tone, because even if Keiko’s struggles were real and there were valid concerns, I found it hard to take the author seriously as I was constantly wondering if this book was written just to tell everyone how right he was.

Also, if anyone was hoping to read more anecdotes and understand Keiko’s character better, this book will be a disappointment. The author might as well have named it Killing Mark Simmons.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I am sure I knew that the killer whale who starred as Willy in Free Willy was part of a "release" project and subsequently died, but I definitely didn't remember, and I certainly didn't know all the details.

At several points in the book, my jaw hit the floor. When:

1) It is determined that an animal with papillomavirus is an appropriate candidate to be released into the wild. Nothing like spreading disease to the wild counterparts.
2) The lead veterinarian on the project firmly believed that behavior and training had NOTHING TO DO with whether or not the release would be successful.
3) The organizations in charge decided that they were going to freak out wild whale pods by taking skin samples from them at EACH introduction with Keiko. So, like, freak them out, put them on the defensive, and then toss in a new guy. Sounds like a recipe for success. I don't blame the training team for quitting.

I know nothing about keeping cetaceans in captivity. I am familiar with captive elephants, and it hasn't always been a good thing for them in small living quarters, but I am willing to defer to the experts, including the author, in their assertion that having trainers with them for hours and hours every day can make a whale's life in a too-small enclosure good enough. And learning about the significant decrease in wild populations means it might not be a bad idea to actually HAVE them in captivity unless we want to lose them for good.

The book made me examine some preconceived notions. Some hold up to scrutiny, some I let go of. This book is a "bowels of obscurity" book because I read somewhere that only 200 copies were printed? Is that right?

[Xannie Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Free Willy” is one of my childhood movies and I have known about how poorly the release of Keiko went for a while but mostly from reading Wikipedia.

Mark Simmons paints a detailed picture of how he got involved in the Keiko release project, his background, what the conditions were like in Iceland, the people on the team and the day to day training (and bureaucracy) while on this project.

In reading it, I saw the vision he (and the rest of the team) had for Keiko and I also saw the vision the “higher ups” had - it didn’t feel one sided to me. This didn’t paint anyone as a villain but did point out the misguided views some people can have when dealing with animals and what they feel is best for them.

If you have any interest at all in the pro-cap/anti-cap/release scene, I recommend this book 100%.

[Fernanda Fadel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read the story from the perspective of someone that was close to Keiko for a long time. Sad that it turns out it the end was even worst than I had read before.

It was also nerve-wrecking to know that people thought cuddling and swimming with a whale being prepared for release was a good idea.

My only complaint is that the author is sometimes condescending about scientists that work only on wild animals (scientists who don't appreciate the individuality of Keiko and all the work that was needed to get him ready for the wild). Sounded like both sides were being narrow minded and condescending at times.

[Kirk Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

To begin, I have always been interested in killer whales. Their majesty, beauty, and grace have captivated me and inspired me to care for our oceans and natural world. This book was recommended to me by my friends and “AskSeaWorld.com”. I already knew who Mark Simmons was and had heard him speak before. His vast knowledge of animal training and behavior made me thoroughly excited to read this book. This book was amazing. Mark delves deep into behavior science and shows exactly how relationships are built with animals. He explains how and why each technique is used and well explains why decisions made by people in the book were either good or bad. Mark goes beneath the surface and tells the heartwarming yet tragic tale of Keiko (cake-o), the famous killer whale in a way it has never been told before. Overall, Mark Simmons’s Killing Keiko is a remarkable book earning 5 out of 5 stars.
Killing Keiko is a very readable book and made complicated topics easy to understand. When trying to explain the difficult concept of self-reinforcement, Mark uses an analogy that is easy to understand for most people, a child cleaning their room, he writes, “Initially, the child is rewarded each time he cleans his room. Next, the rewards become variable and intermittent, but each reward is preceded with positive activities in the clean room. Over time, the “clean room” itself becomes the reward, and the child “feels good” about having a clean room. The state of having a clean room is intrinsically rewarding, and the behavior of keeping it clean becomes a long term change in the child” (229). If you first reinforce the behavior, you create a positive atmosphere around the event, as you taper off the reinforcement, that “feel-good” atmosphere stays behind and becomes, in itself, the reinforcement. By explaining it in terms I could easily relate to, I could understand what he was trying to say better. If he wouldn’t have explained, I probably wouldn’t have been able to understand right away and would have become frustrated with the novel. His well thought out explanations helped me keep my interest in the book and made the plot richer and easier to follow. The readability of the novel also is useful to me because I am interested in the animal behavior field and it helps me “soak up” the information and be able to use it someday when I need it.
Mark Simmons evoked many powerful and intense emotions that really shook me to the core. When concluding the novel, Mark openly shares his deepest emotions and his own ignorance about ignorance when he laments, “We had let ourselves believe that ignorance would be outweighed by compassion; that in the end, love of an animal would prevail even against man made agendas. Literally and symbolically Keiko represented a vast array of personal, social, and political ideals spanning both time and geography. In life, he was indoubtably the most famous whale in history. In death, he became the most famous case of animal abuse the world could not yet fathom” (383). The ignorance of the people working around Mark and the directors of the project led to Keiko’s tragic death. No matter how much the group loved Keiko, their ineptitude when it comes to animal training led to the devastating death. This set me into a deep depression. Passages like these that Mark wrote really opened my eyes to his true feelings. These feelings really rubbed off on me. It, on one hand, made me doubt the true ability of man and our true intentions in this world. We seem greedy, self-centered, and opinionated without any reason, and this made me experience another powerful emotion. Besides grief and depression, this book evoked a great anger in me. Not against the author, but the directors of the Keiko Release Team. Mark tries to explain, “If there is any hope of sustaining a species and its habitat, implementing effective preservation, it will be born of the absolute union between zoological and wild animal sciences, not their division, and most certainly that for the exclusion of zoological experience. In many ways, Keiko’s death was the price paid for refusing this important truth” (386). By the directors refusing to use any zoological knowledge and shun the ideas of animal training, they doomed Keiko from the start. Mark’s excellent reasoning and strong words resonated with me and increased my anger at the directors. I was enraged by the close-mindedness of them and how their stubborn and mean ways led to the death of an innocent creature. I made me reflect upon myself, and encouraged me be more open and never create a situation like this. I wanted to act and this anger turned into inspiration to be an advocate for animal welfare, not the skewed ideals of “animal rights”. I now more than ever am emboldened by Mark’ s message and these intense emotions felt by me will lead me into making a better world for every creature.
If you are interested in animal training, love killer whales, or were just inspired by the movie “Free Willy” as a child, this book is the one for you. Mark Simmons’s straight-forward approach to training is not only interesting but informing. Being someone who loved Keiko growing up and has a strong passion for killer whales, this book really pulled me in. If Mark was in charge of my day, he would make it fun, informational, and enriching knowing his great passion for caring for others and extensive knowledge of training. The fact that I am not a big reader yet was enthralled in this book really speaks to its quality. This book is really worth a try!

[Kristin Cruise · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have always been curious about the mysterious case of Keiko the whale (star of Free Willy). I highly recommend this book. Directly from one of his caretakers on his release effort, you will get a glimpse into the struggles of this mission and an idea of how well loved this animal was across the globe. While slightly hard to read at times due to the emotional attachment you develop for this magnificent animal, it gives you a better appreciation for marine mammals and the people who will do everything they can to make their lives the best they can be.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book by a knowledgeable author about an important topic, especially since we are in the midst of another attempt to release a killer whale that has spent decades living under human care. If you are interested in orcas or the animal rights cause you need to read this book.

[Lachlan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t have to read this propaganda filled delusion to rate it one star. What a ludicrous attempt at trying to justify Killer Whales in captivity. Pure evil. Go read David Kirby’s ‘Death at SeaWorld’ for some actual insight into the science of Killer Whales and their mistreatment in captivity.

[Katelyn Newell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't talk to me about Blackfish until you've read this book first.

[Melissa Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very sad!! Humans are terrible!

[Lauren Hartling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by sometime who had trained and had years of experience working with animals including whales, this is an important perspective to understand if you care about these amazing animals.

[Jonelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing can be a bit drawn out at times, but this story is heart wrenching. Every animal activist should be required to read this story.

[Alaina Sommerstorfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that needs to be read if you dream of the release of captive animals, specially cetaceans. It’s not a story telling you rehabilitation and release CANT work, but how politics and personal dilemmas can get in the way of an animals welfare. It’s an extremely eye-opening, heartbreaking, and emotional book where you completely see both sides of the story. Many people think that once the animal touches the ocean or hears ‘family’ members that its a happily ever after but this book absolutely highlights the reality of both success and heartbreak of adapting an animal to their natural world again.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was based on the true story of the whale, Keiko, from the film "Free Willy". Keiko was taken from his pod in Iceland at around the age of 2 and was sent to several marine parks over the next 20+ years. He was sent to a park in Mexico and was seriously mistreated (it was at that park that he was "discovered" for the movie!). After the film, there was a movement to free this whale who had been in captivity for over 20 years. I wish I could track down and punch EVERY single person involved who thought this was a good idea! Who thinks it's smart to take a whale that is completely unafraid of human contact (actually thrives with human contact) and that hasn't been exposed to wild orcas in 20+ years?! The "scientists" described in this book need to be tracked down and given the same treatment that this poor whale had to endure ... And all because we suddenly have a conscience about ripping babies away from their mothers and natural environments and forcing them to entertain us by doing STUPID tricks in tiny, artificial pools??? It is embarrassing, humiliating and utterly disgusting to be in the same gene pool as human beings like this.

[Rain Bow Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is broken. My throat is dry, I am so sad after reading this book. As a child I loved Free Willy. I had no idea the devastation wrought on poor Keiko in the interest of plots and agendas. Thank you Mark A. Simmons for telling the raw truth, even though I feel a part of my soul as been ripped. I have such a deep enduring love for killer whales. I don’t know what else to say. I’m at a loss. Don’t read this book if you’re hoping for a happy ending.