Beloved Miami Seaquarium killer whale Lolita dies at 57 just months after orca’s retirement
A BELOVED orca known for performing mind-blowing tricks has died after surviving decades of captivity in the smallest tank of its kind.
Lolita, who has been at Miami Seaquarium since 1970, died of kidney disease at 57 years old as soon as plans to release her back in the wild were drafted, officials confirmed Friday.
The killer whale, also called Tokitae by activists advocating for her release, was a superstar Florida attraction that tourists traveled across the country to see.
After 53 years of performing tricks despite public outcry for her release, it was announced in March that she would be retiring.
Park officials began to train her for release after a plan was made to take her back home to Washington state, but the orca began showing extreme signs of discomfort.
Medical teams aggressively treated her ailments, which appeared to be pneumonia, until she finally succumbed to a renal condition this week.
“Toki was an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story, and especially to the Lummi nation that considered her family,” read a statement from the Seaquarium that referred to the indigenous people near her homeland.
“Those who have had the privilege to spend time with her will forever remember her beautiful spirit.”
The release plan was drafted by the non-profit Friends of Toki which has advocated for the release of the animal for years.
Toki was one of six calves that were rounded up and sold by fishermen to marine parks in 1970, Dive Magazine reports.
Most of the calves died within the first year of being in captivity, but Toki defied expectations and lived on while working a busy daily schedule.
She performed tricks three times a day for audiences and lived in an 80-foot long and 35-foot wide tank, which was the smallest of its kind in the US.
Just 10 years after Toki arrived at the aquarium, her companion Hugo died of an aneurysm that was caused by repeated head trauma, earning her the title of the world’s loneliest whale.
While animal rights activists rallied support for her release, other environmental experts felt doubtful that she could live successfully in the wild after her life at the aquarium.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesman said after the move was announced that she could have posed a risk to existing populations in Washington waters.
“If she is healthy enough to be transported, the issue is her skill set,” said Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who advocated for improvements at Miami Seaquarium.
“She doesn’t know how to catch or hunt. We’re not really sure if she can communicate with other whales because she’s been alone.”
Her move was estimated to have cost $20million, and was going to be funded by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.
“I know Lolita wants to get to free waters. I don’t care what anyone says,” Irsay said before her death.
“She’s lived this long to have this opportunity. And my only mission is to help this whale get free.”