Captive Killer Whale Could Return to the Wild After 52 Years at Miami Seaquarium
Activists are optimistic about the orca's release.
A captive killer whale may be released into the wild after spending the last 52 years in a tank at the Miami Seaquarium.
Activists who have rallied for the whale's release since the '90s expressed optimism after learning that, after over half a century in captivity, Lolita—also known as Tokitae or Toki—may finally be freed from her tank in Miami, Florida, according to The Guardian.
The statements come after a 2021 report by the USDA slammed the aquarium for inadequate care of the mammal.
It claimed the Miami Seaquarium fed the orca less than the recommended amount after being advised not to do so by veterinarians and over-exerted the aging whale during training sessions—both of which ultimately led to the mammal sustaining multiple injuries.
As stated in the report, "Toki, a 56-year-old whale, had been maintained on a fish diet of 160 pounds that was decreased to 130 pounds by the Training Curator, over the objection of the Attending Veterinarian [(AV)]."
The AV's report also determined that Toki wasn't getting enough water (as marine mammals extract water from fish for their hydration needs) and that the lack of food volume would cause her distress and agitation, among other health-related concerns.
The report continued: "The AV also had concerns with the Training Curator dictating the incorporation of fast swims and big jumps into training sessions and shows for this geriatric whale. Toki's bloodwork was abnormal and the AV believed these behaviors could result in over-exertion and Toki becoming winded, which was actually observed by both the senior trainer and the AV. The AV also diagnosed that Toki had hit her lower jaw, likely at the lower flume/bulkhead during fast swims. Toki's medical records indicate an injury to her lower mandible on February 25th, March 10th, March 31st, April 6th, and 7th of 2021."
Despite the report, it wasn't until the management of the Seaquarium was transferred to The Dolphin Company that the Whale Stadium was closed to the public.
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According to local reports, getting the whale back to better health remains the top priority for Miami-Dade County officials.
"Right now, we're concerned about her health," Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado previously told ABC affiliate reporters. "There's different opinions on if she can be released, if she can go to a sanctuary, but even moving her is very volatile. So I think right now, we're hoping that she is stabilized and then we take it from there."
In a statement shared with Newsweek, the Miami Seaquarium said it is "working with Friends of Lolita and independent marine mammal experts to provide the best possible care [for the orca]."
Executive director of the Whale Sanctuary Project—an organization that works to free captive whales around the world and has been campaigning for better conditions for Toki—Charles Vinick spoke to reporters about his optimism regarding the orca's potential release.
"The priority today is on Toki's health and welfare, making sure that she receives the best medical care possible, that her current physical environment is as optimal for her as possible and that she has a stimulating enrichment program," he said.
"We remain focused first and foremost on her health and, as her health stabilizes, we look forward to her return to her home waters in the Salish Sea," Vinick added.
The Whale Sanctuary Project previously told The Guardian that there are more than 3,000 whales and dolphins in captivity at marine parks and aquariums across the globe, including 60 orcas and more than 300 belugas. Toki is the second oldest killer whale in captivity.
"We owe all these captive animals an opportunity to live in an environment as close to their natural environment as we can possibly provide," Vinick said. "We owe them a retirement program, a pension…giving them back something like this is the least we can do."
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