Mexico City, Mexico Wyland Whaling Wall 66

History of the Mexico City, Mexico Wyland Whaling Wall 66

-Free Keiko

Whaling wall 66

Keiko, the orca star of the popular film Free Willy, became the focus of an international conservationist effort to release him back into the wild. Wyland’s “Free Keiko”; mural in Mexico City supported this cause in an entirely unique way. Alejandro Azcue Carillo, a major actor in the free Keiko campaign, dedicated the mural in the hope that it would assist in inspiring the release of Keiko from Reino Aventura amusement park. In the 1990s, Keiko’s story was a captivating tale for viewers worldwide, with his unnecessarily small enclosure and poor health inciting a global movement that called for better treatment of existing animals in captivity and the end removing animals from the wild for entertainment.

The campaign to release Keiko brought forward a new awareness of the concerns regarding keeping orcas in captivity. Wyland’s mural connected the public’s interest in orcas and their ever-changing understanding of the ethical concerns behind placing an orca in an enclosure and neglecting to meet its complex needs. While far from the ocean waters, Mexico City was an important hub for “Free Keiko” and brought marine conservation to a landlocked region.

Did You Know?

A massive call to action on an international scale gave Keiko his freedom and cost millions of dollars in rehabilitation and relocation fees. Wild orcas can live up to 90 years, but once in captivity their lifespans drastically decrease from the stress of poor living conditions.

The Wyland Foundation uses art to connect people with environmental issues and causes around the world. Currently, the Wyland Foundation promotes artistic expression as a way to advocate for the environment, encouraging conversations and action.

El Nuevo Rieno Aventura – Al Ajusco 1500
Mexico City, Mexico
(In an agreement to free Keiko, “Free Willy”)
200 Feet Long x 45 Feet High
Dedicated September 26th, 1994
By Alejandro Azcue Carrillo

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