Lolita the orca dies at Miami Seaquarium after half-century in captivity

Lolita, an orca whale held captive for more than a half-century, has died at the Miami Seaquarium as caregivers prepared to move her from the theme park. The Seaquarium posted on social media that Lolita — also known as Tokitae, or Toki — started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort over the past two days. Officials say Seaquarium and Friends of Toki medical team began treating immediately and aggressively, but the 57-year-old orca died Friday afternoon from an apparent renal condition. Animal rights activists have been fighting for years to have Lolita freed from her tank at the Miami Seaquarium. The park’s current owner and the nonprofit Friends of Toki announced a plan in March to possibly move her to a natural sea pen.