Free Lolita



Lolita the Orca
(Miami, Florida) In 1970, a female orca was captured in the waters of the Puget Sound. She was transported to the Miami Seaquarium and given the name Lolita. For 41 years, Lolita has been performing for appreciative audiences.

In 2005, the federal government listed the Puget Sound orca as an endangered species. Activists contend that Lolita should also have been classified as endangered despite having left the Puget Sound 35 years beforehand.

As a result, activists are now suing the federal government to free Lolita. A representative of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the agency is reviewing the lawsuit.

According to Karen Munro, an activist who has joined the lawsuit with PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and others, "Lolita deserves to retire and return to the Puget Sound, where she can swim naturally and attempt to reunite with her family."

The Miami Seaquarium issued remarks that freeing Lolita would be dangerous since she has lived in captivity for 41 years and has developed a behavioral trust of humans. I tend to agree.