Daniel Alarcón

Dick Donner wanted Dave to do it, but this wasn't exactly Dave's specialty. His whole career had been focused on big, huge problems, protecting the ocean and saving wild whales, plural. What Dick was proposing in response to the public outcry around the movie was much narrower in scope, saving the whale, singular.

Dick Donner wanted Dave to do it, but this wasn't exactly Dave's specialty. His whole career had been focused on big, huge problems, protecting the ocean and saving wild whales, plural. What Dick was proposing in response to the public outcry around the movie was much narrower in scope, saving the whale, singular.

Dave remembers telling Dick Donner essentially, thanks, but I'm not the right guy for this job. But it seems Dick wouldn't take no for an answer.

Dave remembers telling Dick Donner essentially, thanks, but I'm not the right guy for this job. But it seems Dick wouldn't take no for an answer.

And, you know, there was something about this that resonated. Think of it this way. If you're Dave, or an environmentalist of his generation, crazy doesn't necessarily mean impossible. Just a few years before, in 1990, an estimated 200 million people took part in Earth Day celebrations. The most ever, by far. This is the decade of the Earth Summit in Rio, the Kyoto Protocol.

And, you know, there was something about this that resonated. Think of it this way. If you're Dave, or an environmentalist of his generation, crazy doesn't necessarily mean impossible. Just a few years before, in 1990, an estimated 200 million people took part in Earth Day celebrations. The most ever, by far. This is the decade of the Earth Summit in Rio, the Kyoto Protocol.

Big, coordinated global actions to combat climate change and environmental damage. In 1985, scientists announced that they discovered a hole in the ozone layer. And by the 90s, an international treaty was in place to ban some of the chemicals thought to have created it. And it seemed to work. The ozone layer began to heal itself.

Big, coordinated global actions to combat climate change and environmental damage. In 1985, scientists announced that they discovered a hole in the ozone layer. And by the 90s, an international treaty was in place to ban some of the chemicals thought to have created it. And it seemed to work. The ozone layer began to heal itself.

Even I remember, and I was just a kid, those years were my childhood, a time I remember as fundamentally optimistic. We learned about separating our trash in school, reduce, reuse, recycle, imprinted on the brain. We learned about the Amazon and the dangers of climate change, which still felt so far away. We didn't despair because we thought we could still work together to save the planet.

Even I remember, and I was just a kid, those years were my childhood, a time I remember as fundamentally optimistic. We learned about separating our trash in school, reduce, reuse, recycle, imprinted on the brain. We learned about the Amazon and the dangers of climate change, which still felt so far away. We didn't despair because we thought we could still work together to save the planet.

That if people just knew what was happening, we'd do the right thing. And that the right thing would be clear to all of us. That's the moment we're in. The moment Dave's in. And so, sure, saving Keiko sounds a bit nutty. But maybe if you've seen what he's seen, that sort of thing doesn't scare you. So Dave said, OK, I'll check it out. I'll fly down to Mexico City and meet Keiko.

That if people just knew what was happening, we'd do the right thing. And that the right thing would be clear to all of us. That's the moment we're in. The moment Dave's in. And so, sure, saving Keiko sounds a bit nutty. But maybe if you've seen what he's seen, that sort of thing doesn't scare you. So Dave said, OK, I'll check it out. I'll fly down to Mexico City and meet Keiko.

He was, if not hopeful, intrigued until he got there and realized this is a terrible idea. By the time Dave visited, Keiko was a teenager and had been living in Mexico City for about eight and a half years. Dave could see right away. This captive whale was nowhere near ready to live in the ocean. A wild orca can swim over 100 miles a day.

He was, if not hopeful, intrigued until he got there and realized this is a terrible idea. By the time Dave visited, Keiko was a teenager and had been living in Mexico City for about eight and a half years. Dave could see right away. This captive whale was nowhere near ready to live in the ocean. A wild orca can swim over 100 miles a day.

Keiko was basically the aquatic equivalent of a couch potato.

Keiko was basically the aquatic equivalent of a couch potato.

I asked Dave to tick through the reasons Keiko was not an ideal candidate to rewild. And there were many. Before they could even think of releasing him back into the ocean, Keiko needed to get rid of his papillomavirus. but also get stronger, healthier, put on weight. And there was no way he could do that in his current tank at Reino Aventura.

I asked Dave to tick through the reasons Keiko was not an ideal candidate to rewild. And there were many. Before they could even think of releasing him back into the ocean, Keiko needed to get rid of his papillomavirus. but also get stronger, healthier, put on weight. And there was no way he could do that in his current tank at Reino Aventura.

The bill for that alone would probably be millions of dollars. And then they'd have to spend years and millions more teaching him the most basic ocean survival skills and pray that some of those lessons took.

The bill for that alone would probably be millions of dollars. And then they'd have to spend years and millions more teaching him the most basic ocean survival skills and pray that some of those lessons took.