Lolita the orca dies in Miami after more than 50 years in captivity
Activists fought for years to have Lolita freed from Seaquarium and returned to native Washington waters
Lolita, an orca held captive for more than half a century, died Friday at the Miami Seaquarium just a few months after plans were made to move her from the theme park back to her native waters in Washington state.
The Seaquarium posted a statement on social media from the nonprofit group Friends of Toki that Lolita — also known as Tokitae, or Toki — had started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort over the past two days.
Seaquarium and Friends of Toki medical team members began treating her immediately, but the 57-year-old orca died from an apparent renal condition, the statement said.
"Toki was an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story and especially to the Lummi Nation that considered her family,'' the statement of Friends of Toki said, referring to the nation located in Washington state near the border with British Columbia.
"Those who have had the privilege to spend time with her will forever remember her beautiful spirit."
Animal rights activists have been fighting for years to have Lolita freed from her tank at the Miami Seaquarium.
The park's relatively new owner, the Dolphin Company, and Friends of Toki announced a plan in March to possibly move her to a natural sea pen in Washington state, with the financial backing of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.
"I am heartbroken that Toki has left us," Irsay said in a statement.
"Her story captured my heart, just as it did millions of others. I was honoured to be part of the team working to return her to her Indigenous home, and I take solace in knowing that we significantly improved her living conditions this past year. Her spirit and grace have touched so many. Rest in peace, dear Toki."
Lolita retired from performing last spring as a condition of the park's new exhibitor's licence with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She's not been publicly displayed since. In recent months, new upgrades had been installed to better filter the pool and regulate her water temperature.
Federal and state regulators would have had to approve any plan to move Lolita, and that could have taken months or years. The 2,267-kilogram orca had been living for years in a tank that measured 24 metres by 11 metres and six metres deep.