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By Robyn White
Nature Reporter
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One of the most famous captive orcas in the world, Lolita has lived at the Miami Seaquarium in Florida since 1970. As her health deteriorates, it becomes apparent that she may never see freedom.
Lolita, 56 years old, also known as Tokitae, is the last surviving orca out of 45 that were captured and delivered for display in aquariums between 1965 and 1973.
Her health has been an ongoing concern for animal welfare groups that hope that she may one day be released back into the wild.
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"The dedication that our vets and animal care staff provide for our animals is unmatched. This couldn't be truer when it comes to the care of our beautiful Tokitae. We have a special team, including world-renowned experts, that is dedicated to making sure Toki receives round-the-clock care," the statement said. "Medication has stabilized Toki's health after the respiratory condition she experienced early this year. While not considered critical, her appetite has decreased. With guidance from Toki's vet, as well as the foremost marine mammal experts in the world, extra precautions are being taken. Thank you for your interest in Toki; please send your positive vibes and prayers her way. We will provide updates on her condition as soon as we're able."
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Lolita's living conditions have been subject to controversy for many years. Many have argued that they are inadequate for an animal of her size and that her ongoing health issues are a result of improper care.
It has previously been hoped that Lolita may one day return to the wild—her mother is believed to still swim in the waters off British Columbia, Washington and Oregon.
Her declining health however may hinder these efforts. Lolita is already at a fragile age for a captive orca—captive orcas have a much shorter life expectancy than those living in the wild.
Many have wondered whether Lolita would survive the journey from her tank to the ocean, or whether she could deal with a new environment once she got there.
"We are increasingly concerned to hear reports that Tokitae's health has further deteriorated. It's nothing short of a miracle that Toki has survived for over five decades in the world's smallest orca tank," Rob Lott, anti-captivity campaigner at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) told Newsweek. "Her resilience has been astonishing but there is now understandable concern about her current situation, and we can only hope for a positive outcome from the treatment and care she is currently receiving. Keeping whales and dolphins in captivity for human entertainment is cruel. For an intelligent individual who is used to swimming many miles every day, a tank is a featureless prison cell."
Lolita's declining health was first flagged this year in February by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). At the time, the animal rights organization said the orca was suffering from pneumonia, but this was not confirmed by Miami Seaquarium.
PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman told Newsweek that Lolita's health "will surely continue to decline as long as she's still imprisoned in the smallest, most depressing orca tank in the world." The organization has pushed for Lolita to be sent to a seaside sanctuary, where she can be treated for her illness in a more natural environment, rather than in her current tank.
"The Miami Seaquarium has had every opportunity under the sun to send this long-suffering, kidnapped orca to a seaside sanctuary, where she could have received around-the-clock care in a spacious, natural environment, but it has resisted helping her every step of the way," Reiman said.
Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute, told Newsweek that the update from Miami Seaquarium seems "consistent with her status for the past few months."
"There doesn't seem to be any improvement in her health, but there also doesn't seem to be any real decline. In other words, from what I can glean from information publicly available, she has some kind of ongoing health condition that is not optimal, but she is stable," Rose said.
Newsweek has contacted Miami Seaquarium.
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