LOLITA*

In 1970, at only 4 years old, Lolita was torn away from her family and ocean home during the largest capture of wild orcas in history. More than 90 orcas were stalked and forcefully corralled into nets, seven were abducted that day and sold to marine parks. For a mere $6,000, Lolita was purchased by the Miami Seaquarium, where she was confined for decades and used for human entertainment.

She was the sole survivor of that horrifying capture and spent almost all her life in the smallest, oldest orca tank in the world, one that doesn’t meet the federal Animal Welfare Act’s minimum size requirement and that failed to provide her with any shelter from the blistering Miami sun. Orcas in nature spend 90% of their time underwater and dive to depths of thousands of feet, but the tank confining Lolita is just 20 feet at its deepest point, the same length as her body.

With very little stimulation and no opportunity to engage meaningfully in the most basic and natural orca behaviour, Lolita spent her days floating listlessly. She had been without the companionship of any member of her own species since 1980 when her tank mate, Hugo, died after repeatedly ramming his head into the tank wall, a known form of captive animal suicide.

Lolita’s family, the Southern Resident orca population, is now endangered as their babies have been captured and held in captivity and adults have been killed while trying to save them.

When the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed the Southern Residents as endangered, affording its members protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), it specifically denied protection to Lolita, without any explanation or justification. Following a PETA lawsuit and petition as well as comments submitted by more than 17,000 people, the NMFS finally granted her the protections that she’s entitled to under the ESA. Despite this, she was still being held captive.

In March of 2023, the Seaquarium announced plans to return Lolita back to her native waters of the Pacific where she could spend her final days. The decision came after years of pressure from animal rights groups to allow the aging orca to spend what little time she had left swimming freely in her natural habitat and hopefully meet up with her pod. Months later and still Lolita remained at the aquarium. The Dolphin Company, which owns the Seaquarium, said that she would be relocated sometime between October 2024 and April 2025.

Sadly Lolita, the oldest ocra held in captivity, never saw that freedom. Less than five months later she suddenly passed away in the tiny tank that had been her prison for over 50 years.

Lolita, we are so sorry that humans failed you. Your ‘owners’ have seemingly no remorse for their selfishness in abusing you for profit; their words upon your passing are insignificant. You are now free but your story must never be forgotten. We, along with your supporters around the world, will continue your legacy and be your voice until all the tanks are emptied. Rest easy precious girl.