The state officials made their decision in cooperation with the "Free Willy/Keiko Foundation." The foundation, which has overseen Keiko's welfare since efforts began to return him to the wild, evaluated several alternatives in determining where the lovable orca should spend the winter.
The star of the movie "Free Willy" swam to Norway after being set loose off Iceland last summer. He stunned residents of Halsa on September 1 when he popped out of the water and wanted to play.
He spent the next few weeks frolicking in the Skaalevik Fjord before being moved further away from crowds who flocked to the area to see him. Plans then were launched to find a winter home for Keiko, who didn't seem keen to leave on his own even though the fjord likely will ice over this winter.
Now he'll be guided to Taknes Bay (Taknesbukta), which isn't far from the Skaalevik Fjord. The bay lies in another fjord area between Halsa and Aure townships in the district of Nordmore.
Officials hope Keiko will soon come in contact with other whales, who swim through the area when the herring starts running in mid-winter.
