They hope to use the information to find the whale's home waters, search for his pod and determine whether he would be able to survive in the wild. The foundation plans to use the research to expand killer whale research worldwide. We want to help the whole species, not just him. In February, scientists installed underwater microphones in Keiko's 2 million-gallon tank to record his noises 24 hours a day. Now, five special cameras, including one for low-light conditions, will track his movements.
Researchers hope to match certain vocalizations with particular movements.
They also would like to know whether he is strong and healthy enough to endure life in the frigid sea, where wild killer whales travel thousands of miles each year, competing for food and dominance in a complex social structure. But its popularity has doubled since Keiko's arrival, attracting 1.32 million visitors last year. The aquarium's potential loss of Keiko to Iceland waters could be a blow to Newport's economy, but another marine creature needing rehabilitation would take the orca's place. View Keiko's online photo album.