A killer whale who was caught at sea 50 years ago and lived and performed at the Miami Sea Aquarium has been able to return home.
According to the NBC broadcast on the 30th (local time) in the United States, the Miami Marine Aquarium and the non-profit organization ‘Friends of Lolita’ held a press conference to announce plans to return the female killer whale ‘Lolita’ to her hometown in the Pacific Northwest.
According to the broadcast, Lolita was caught by whalers in the summer of 1970 off the coast of Pugit Sound, Washington. At that time, 13 killer whales were killed in the area due to killer whale hunting, and 45 were captured and exported to zoos and aquariums around the world. Lolita was estimated to be 4 years old at the time of capture and was raised at the Miami Marine Aquarium after being separated from her mother orca.
Lolita is now 57 years old, the oldest killer whale in the aquarium. After being captured, the killer whale lived in a whale show at the Miami Sea Aquarium for about 50 years before falling ill last year.
In 2015, PETA, an animal protection organization, filed a complaint against the Miami Marine Aquarium and its parent company, Palace Entertainment, claiming that Lolita’s breeding environment violated the Endangered Species Act. After an ongoing legal battle, PETA succeeded in retiring Lolita from the whale show. And recently, the marine aquarium and related organizations have agreed to return Lolita to its habitat in the North Pacific within two years.
Lolita, a killer whale living in the Miami Oceanarium. @LOUISAGUIRRE Twitter captureHoward Garrett, president of the Killer Whale Network, an American non-profit organization, said, “This Lolita’s return is about restoring and correcting the natural environment that has been ruined by humans.” .
However, some predict that the process of settling down in Lolita’s hometown will not be easy. Experts planned to transport Lolita by plane to a marine sanctuary in the waters between Washington and Canada for up to 24 months to help her acclimate. During the transportation process, Lolita’s trainer and veterinarian will teach hunting and survival training for Lolita to adapt to its original habitat.
“Lolita’s Friends” employee Raynel Morris said, “Lolita has to learn to hunt because she was taken in when she was just four years old, but she knows the sounds her family pack makes and will take time to remember this song.”
It has been confirmed that Lolita’s hometown also lives in the mother whale ‘Ocean Sun’, who was separated from her a long time ago. Currently, the age of Ocean Sun is estimated to be over 90 years old, and it has served as the basis for the release advocacy that Lolita can live a long time in the wild environment.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.