Daniel Alarcón

On January 6th, 1996, it was time for Keiko to go. They decided to move him in the middle of the night for a few reasons. To avoid the heat and the traffic, but also the crowds that were sure to want to say their goodbyes. Moving any object as big as a killer whale is an engineering problem. But when that object is a living thing, there's an added complication.

On January 6th, 1996, it was time for Keiko to go. They decided to move him in the middle of the night for a few reasons. To avoid the heat and the traffic, but also the crowds that were sure to want to say their goodbyes. Moving any object as big as a killer whale is an engineering problem. But when that object is a living thing, there's an added complication.

Getting Keiko out of Reino Aventura and onto a plane would depend in no small measure on the cooperation of Keiko himself. And that required training. For months, they'd worked on it with him. First, he'd swim into a small, shallow pool, and then into a custom-made sling, swimming in and out of it, weeks spent just getting comfortable with his process.

Getting Keiko out of Reino Aventura and onto a plane would depend in no small measure on the cooperation of Keiko himself. And that required training. For months, they'd worked on it with him. First, he'd swim into a small, shallow pool, and then into a custom-made sling, swimming in and out of it, weeks spent just getting comfortable with his process.

He had to be comfortable because once he was in that sling, he'd stay wrapped in it for at least 14 hours. The challenge would be to keep him calm. He had to trust his humans, not fight or flail. Trust. The night of the move, it's noisy and chaotic. I've seen the videos and it's just manic. It doesn't look like an aquarium or even an amusement park. It looks like a construction site.

He had to be comfortable because once he was in that sling, he'd stay wrapped in it for at least 14 hours. The challenge would be to keep him calm. He had to trust his humans, not fight or flail. Trust. The night of the move, it's noisy and chaotic. I've seen the videos and it's just manic. It doesn't look like an aquarium or even an amusement park. It looks like a construction site.

All this movement and whirring of motors and beeps and shouting and lights. Renata stayed close to Keiko, touching him, close to his eyes so he could see her. But when it was time for him to swim into the shallow pool where the sling awaited him, he refused and there was nothing they could do to persuade him. Finally, a dozen people in wetsuits encircled him with a net and pulled him into place.

All this movement and whirring of motors and beeps and shouting and lights. Renata stayed close to Keiko, touching him, close to his eyes so he could see her. But when it was time for him to swim into the shallow pool where the sling awaited him, he refused and there was nothing they could do to persuade him. Finally, a dozen people in wetsuits encircled him with a net and pulled him into place.

In the shallow pool, Renata and the other trainer dried him off before applying moisturizer all over his body. Actually, the same stuff you might put on a baby to protect from diaper rash.

In the shallow pool, Renata and the other trainer dried him off before applying moisturizer all over his body. Actually, the same stuff you might put on a baby to protect from diaper rash.

Once Keiko was in the sling, it was attached to a crane that lifted him out of the pool and placed him in a shipping container filled with 3,000 pounds of freshwater ice. The container sat on the back of a tractor trailer, ready for the hour or so drive across the city to the airport. Once there, it would be loaded onto a giant cargo plane. David convinced UPS to deliver Keiko to Oregon for free.

Once Keiko was in the sling, it was attached to a crane that lifted him out of the pool and placed him in a shipping container filled with 3,000 pounds of freshwater ice. The container sat on the back of a tractor trailer, ready for the hour or so drive across the city to the airport. Once there, it would be loaded onto a giant cargo plane. David convinced UPS to deliver Keiko to Oregon for free.

When the caravan finally left, there were crowds, more than they'd expected. Ordinary people who loved this killer whale. Whole families, children who dragged their parents out in the middle of the night to say goodbye. All gathered just outside the gates of the Reino Aventura parking lot. So many that police had to move them just so the caravan could pass.

When the caravan finally left, there were crowds, more than they'd expected. Ordinary people who loved this killer whale. Whole families, children who dragged their parents out in the middle of the night to say goodbye. All gathered just outside the gates of the Reino Aventura parking lot. So many that police had to move them just so the caravan could pass.

And they soon discovered it wasn't just at the gates that the crowds had gathered. It was everywhere. I've talked to a lot of people who were there that night, lining the streets, desperate to say their farewells. One person told me the only thing he could compare it to was the time the Pope visited Mexico City. The route to the airport was supposed to be secret, but that's not how it worked out.

And they soon discovered it wasn't just at the gates that the crowds had gathered. It was everywhere. I've talked to a lot of people who were there that night, lining the streets, desperate to say their farewells. One person told me the only thing he could compare it to was the time the Pope visited Mexico City. The route to the airport was supposed to be secret, but that's not how it worked out.

Reporters kept the city abreast of the caravan's progress. There were thousands of people lining the streets. Boys in their pajamas carrying handwritten signs and girls in pigtails carrying Mexican flags. Teens shouting and calling Keiko's name. You have to wonder if the whale could hear them chanting, Que se quede, que se quede. He should stay, he should stay. He should stay, he should stay.

Reporters kept the city abreast of the caravan's progress. There were thousands of people lining the streets. Boys in their pajamas carrying handwritten signs and girls in pigtails carrying Mexican flags. Teens shouting and calling Keiko's name. You have to wonder if the whale could hear them chanting, Que se quede, que se quede. He should stay, he should stay. He should stay, he should stay.

Then, somewhere along the slow, ponderous route to the airport, there was a mariachi band playing an old song about a loved one's goodbye, Las Golondrinas. Where can the tired swallow go, say the lyrics, tossed by the wind with nowhere to hide, remember my homeland, beloved pilgrim, and cry. Cars and mopeds follow the procession, drivers waving, honking their horns.

Then, somewhere along the slow, ponderous route to the airport, there was a mariachi band playing an old song about a loved one's goodbye, Las Golondrinas. Where can the tired swallow go, say the lyrics, tossed by the wind with nowhere to hide, remember my homeland, beloved pilgrim, and cry. Cars and mopeds follow the procession, drivers waving, honking their horns.