For 52 long years, he lived in an artificial pond away from his natural habitat. Lolita the killer whale is finally released. Lolita, an orca at the Miami Seaquarium in Florida, USA, can now see the wonders of the sea.
Even though they are known as killer whales, orcas belong to the dolphin family. The upper part of the body is black and the lower part is white. The main habitat is the North Pacific Ocean.
The release of the orca Lolita into the sea has been a demand raised by environmentalists and animal lovers for years. After a strong intervention in this, the way has now been paved for Lolitha’s release.
A marine creature that can swim up to a thousand feet in the deep sea has been living in a mere artificial pool for half a century. For half a century, loneliness has felt so delicate.
So far, Lolita’s life has been delighting and surprising those who come to see her at the Miami Seaquarium in Florida. Lolita, the oldest to have been tamed, is preparing to go to sea again at the age of 57. Lolita will be released into the Salish Sea.
In 1970, four-year-old Lolita was caught in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Later intensive training was given to put on practice performances. It has amazed audiences for years. Lolita’s performances were highly admired.
Lolita has been eating food provided by park staff for years. Hence it is essential to train the Lolita in hunting skills etc. before releasing it into its natural habitat. For this purpose, efforts are underway to place Lolita in many parts of the US and train her to adapt to the marine environment.
Along with Lolita’s release, the world remembers another Orca. Kiska, a solitary orca at Marine Land Water Park near Niagara Falls, Canada. Kiska passed away recently at the age of 47. Kiska, who suffered severe depression, was known as the loneliest Orca in the world.
The video footage of Kiska injuring herself by banging her head on the cage and so on caused a lot of criticism including on the social media. With Kiska’s death, the demand for the release of endangered orcas has intensified. This is followed by the announcement of Lolita’s release. The release demand was accepted by the authorities after The Dolphin Company took over the management of the SeaAquarium.
Lolita’s release comes amid widespread protests against the human use of orcas for entertainment and training. There is also hope for other orcas who have been living without seeing the outside world for years.
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