Posts Tagged ‘Lolita’
A happy ending for Tokitae (Lolita)? New Seaquarium owners commit to her retirement.
Tokitae, also called Lolita and named Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut by Washington State’s Lummi Nation, will no longer perform shows at the Miami Seaquarium, where she has been held since she was taken from her home waters in 1970. As a condition of the permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), new operators of the Florida facility…
Read MoreAlarming report raises worries for marine mammals held at the Miami Seaquarium
Leonardo Da Silva/Flickr A disturbing report on the conditions at the Miami Seaquarium from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), released along with an extensive interview from one of the facility’s former veterinarians, highlights the horrendous and dangerous treatment of marine mammals, including the endangered Southern Resident orca Tokitae (also called Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, or Lolita).…
Read MoreFederal appeals court rejects petition to reopen case for captive-held orca Tokitae
In disappointing news, a Federal appeals court has rejected a petition from conservation groups to reopen a lawsuit over the Miami Seaquarium’s treatment of Tokitae (also called Lolita), the last surviving Southern Resident orca held in captivity. This is a blow to the latest court effort to free Tokitae from the Seaquarium and retire her…
Read MoreTokitae Totem Pole Journey reaches Miami Seaquarium
The Lummi Totem Pole journey for Tokitae reached its final stop at the Miami Seaquarium last month, but tribal members and fellow protesters, including Orca Network, were not allowed to enter the marine park. The Lummi Nation of Washington State traveled more than 3,000 miles cross-country from Seattle to Miami to raise awareness for Tokitae…
Read MoreWashington State's Lummi Tribe introduces new path to bring Tokitae home
A new angle is being explored in the ongoing effort to retire Tokitae (also called Lolita) and bring her back to her home waters in the Salish Sea. Held captive at the Miami Seaquarium since she was taken from the endangered orca population known as the Southern Resident community in 1970, Tokitae was given the…
Read MoreCourt denies appeal for Lolita, still held captive in Florida
Sadly, despite a plea from U.S. celebrity and well-known advocate Bob Barker to retire Tokitae (Lolita) to a seaside sanctuary, an appeals court ruling has blocked the latest effort to Free Lolita. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the Miami Seaquarium’s undersized tank, lack of social companions, and inadequate treatment was not…
Read MoreLolita Case Returns to Court
The next step in the legal process to return Lolita (also called Tokitae) to her home waters in Washington State happened on December 6th in Florida. An appeal on the Endangered Species Act (ESA)-based lawsuit against the Miami Seaquarium, which was dismissed in June 2016, seeks to overturn the district court’s ruling on ESA violations.…
Read MoreMayday Monday – Ask an Expert
So, it’s not Monday, but we still wanted to share this amazing Ask an Expert with Howard Garrett of Orca Network about the current state of the Southern Residents and what the future holds for them. Read on to find out more! 1) The decline in the Southern Resident population is a product of many different…
Read MoreGearing up for Superpod 4
Next week I am heading back to San Juan Island for the fourth annual Superpod gathering, a week of talks, events, Q&A’s, whales, and a general celebration of all things orca. While past events have primarily focused on captive orcas, the paradigm started to shift last year to include more information on wild orca populations…
Read MoreLolita to remain in captivity after court ruling
A federal appeals court in the US has upheld a ruling that Lolita, the orca held in solitary confinement at the Miami Seaquarium in Florida, should remain at the park. A group of NGOs had alleged that the tank in which she is held violates animal government welfare standards. The court decided that while they…
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