The Miami Seaquarium, under the management of The Dolphin Company, has announced plans to return Lolita the orca to her native Pacific Northwest waters after being held in captivity for over 50 years. The news, announced at a press conference held by the Miami Seaquarium, has been met with celebration by animal advocates worldwide. The Miami Seaquarium has entered into a formal and binding agreement with non-profit organization Friends of Lolita to make Lolita's return to an ocean sanctuary a reality. The collaboration, made possible by a generous contribution from philanthropist Jim Irsay, owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, aims to give Lolita a better future.
Eduardo Albor, CEO of The Dolphin Company; Pritam Singh, environmentalist, philanthropist, and co-founder of Friends of Lolita; and Jim Irsay will work together to relocate Lolita to an ocean sanctuary. Lolita, also known as Tokitae, had fallen gravely ill last February and had been on 24-hour watch since then. Her relocation gives hope to advocates who have long fought for her freedom. Lolita's life in captivity began when she was stolen from her family pod in the Pacific Northwest on August 8th, 1970, at around four years old. Since then, she has been living in a small tank at the Miami Seaquarium, subjected to captivity for entertainment purposes.
Mr. Albor expressed the company's motivation for acquiring the Miami Seaquarium: "Finding a better future for Lolita is one of the reasons that motivated us to acquire the Miami Seaquarium. With the help of Jim Irsay and Pritam Singh, we are bringing the dream of returning Lolita to her home waters, closer than ever." He also highlighted the importance of working together, regardless of differing positions, to make extraordinary agreements happen based on mutual respect and confidence between parties. Mr. Irsay expressed his excitement to play a role in bringing Lolita back to her native Pacific Northwest and called it a "sacred privilege" to care for and bring her home.
According to Pritam Singh, co-founder of Friends of Lolita, the team, particularly Eduardo Albor, Jim Irsay, and Raynell Morris, has been instrumental in their efforts and support in caring for Lolita and making her relocation possible. Everyone involved will work towards relocating Lolita within the next 18 to 24 months, and she will continue to receive round-the-clock care.
Lolita's recent health and welfare assessment by Dr. Tom Reidarson, DVM DACZM, Dr. James McBain, DVM retired, and Dr. Stephanie Norman, DVM, Ph-D, indicated that her energy, appetite, and engagement in daily activities have been improving. Despite her progress, animal advocates stress that orcas are sentient, social beings that should not be held captive in a small tank for human entertainment. Lolita's story serves as a reminder that animals like her deserve to stay in their ocean homes with their family pods.
The plight of captive orcas has been an ongoing issue for many years. According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, there are currently 60 captive orcas worldwide, with the majority held in the United States. The organization has been advocating for their freedom and working to end the captive breeding and display of these intelligent and social creatures.
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