Headline from the Seattle Times:

"Aquarium in Florida wants Keiko in captivity"

Gee, didn't these people see "Free Willy?" Poor Keiko is sure having a hard time of it these days. Some nutcase scientist wants to kill him (for his own good, of all things!); the Norwegian government wants people to stay away from him (although it is perfectly obvious that he loves people and loves the attention); and the misguided morons in Miami are not the first aquarium to suggest re-capturing the poor guy--although I believe that they are the first to actually apply for the appropriate paperwork to do so.

I understand the concerns for Keiko--and the people who choose to approach him--but re-capturing him is a cure worse than the disease, if it is a disease. He has been successfully re-introduced to the wild, apparently. He made his way independently from Iceland to Norway, seems able to feed himself adequately, appears in good spirits and good health. The only thing wrong with this animal is that he enjoys associating with human beings. He is not really a wild animal; he was in captivity too long. But if people really want him to be "free," doesn't he have the right to associate with whomever or whatever he chooses? He chooses to hang out with humans. I think we have to respect that, and just hope that the people he chooses to approach--or allows to approach him--show some common sense in their interactions with him.

It would be cruelty in the extreme to rip away the freedom that he--and so many of his human supporters--have worked so hard to achieve.