Free Lolita campaign email updates #61-70

May 4, 2003 to December 15, 2003

Previous and Later Free Lolita Updates:

Free Lolita Updates #1-10 – March 1, 1999 to May 10, 1999

Free Lolita Updates #11-20 – June 1, 1999 to December 2, 1999

Free Lolita Updates #21-30 – January 26, 2000 to March 17, 2001

Free Lolita Updates #31-40 – May 1, 2001 to August 29, 2001

Free Lolita Updates #41-50 - August 31, 2001 to March 31, 2002

Free Lolita Updates #51-60 - May 14, 2002 to January 26, 2003

Free Lolita Updates #61-70 - May 4, 2003 to December 16, 2003

Free Lolita Updates #71-80 - April 20, 2004 to September 17, 2005

Free Lolita Updates #81-90 - October 25, 2005 to September 23, 2007

Free Lolita Updates #91+ - January 5, 2008 to present

Free Lolita Updates on this page:

Free Lolita Update #70 - December 15, 2003

Free Lolita Update #69 - December 13, 2003

Free Lolita Update #68 - December 2, 2003

Free Lolita Update #67 - October 13, 2003

Free Lolita Update #66 - September 15, 2003

Free Lolita Update #65 - September 12, 2003

Free Lolita Update #64 - July 15, 2003

Free Lolita Update #63 - May 24, 2003

Free Lolita Update #62 - May 15, 2003

Free Lolita Update #61 - May 4, 2003



Previous | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #72
May 16, 2004

Dear Friends of Lolita

This much we know: Lolita is still a member of her extended family, known by researchers as the L25 subpod of the Southern Resident orca community in Washington and British Columbia. We know this because she still calls out in the unique dialect used only by her family. Her continued calling to her family, even after 34 years of separation from them, shows that she still remembers where she came from and where she belongs. She is still able to recognize her family's calls, and they would recognize her.

Most of you already know this. We repeat it here because we may be nearing the point when this argument will be needed to convince government agencies to allow Lolita to return to her true home.

The Sequarium is teetering on the brink of collapse. The Top Deck dolphin show has been closed for months to repair electrical and safety hazards. The whale stadium is required to reduce its attendance because it does not have sufficient public exits. The park also lacks wheelchair accessibility which violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. All this adds up to a flood of negative publicity and a public spectacle of an unsafe, dishonest, deteriorating marine park, further reducing revenues and hastening the Seaquarium's downfall.

Now there are two more major news stories, starting with a front page article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The full story is at:

Free Lolita! Bid to bring orca 'home' heats up
May 12, 2004 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Activists put squeeze on Florida aquarium

In a concrete tank beside the shallow and subtropical waters of Biscayne Bay, on a sun-drenched island dotted with coconut palms, lives a one-time resident of the deep and cold waters of Puget Sound.

Her name is Lolita. She's an orca, and her biological clock is ticking.

"People are not her family. That ought to be obvious to everyone," says crusading orca scientist Ken Balcomb, who helped (Governor) Lowry and (Secretary of State) Munro launch the campaign.

"It's been a very long shot from the beginning, but as long as she still breathes, there's still a possibility," says Howard Garrett of the Orca Network, Balcomb's half-brother, who spearheaded much of the campaign.

In recent years, scientists have come to understand that orcas have remarkable abilities, including their own sort of culture, Garrett notes, with rituals that apparently are handed down through the generations. For instance, Puget Sound's three orca families, or pods, come together periodically in ceremony-like fashion.

Garrett tried hard to persuade the Seaquarium to let L*olita go. Garrett even moved to south Florida for two years in the late '90s as part of the effort. Nothing worked.

Now the activists are changing their approach. Mother's Day vigils and disrupting the Lolita show with bullhorns or banners have given way to getting the government on their side.

Starting last year, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., activist Russ Rector began calling in government inspectors to remedy dozens of building and electrical code violations. Seaquarium officials say they are working diligently to correct those problems. On the heels of the Miami-Dade County building inspectors came those from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

(Robert) Rose (SQ's head trainer) says the "Free Willy" example proves his point. Keiko, the orca released in Iceland after languishing in a Mexican attraction, never did take up with other orcas, instead preferring to hang out around people. Keiko died last year in Norway. Alone.

Activists, though, point out an important difference with LOlita: Everyone knows that her family, the L pod, can be found at regular intervals in Washington's inland sea. She still "speaks" in the native "tongue" of Puget Sound orcas. Keiko, on the other hand, was set free hundreds of miles from where he was captured, where he was unlikely to encounter whales he could relate to. ###

And a stunning five-part series called "Marine Attractions: Below the Surface" began today in the Florida Sun-Sentinel, which covers all of south Florida and beyond. This marks the first in-depth look at the marine park industry to appear in major media. The first installment, dated Sunday, May 16th 2004, is almost five full pages long. The headline reads: "Not a Perfect Picture." You can see the article on the web: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-marinestorygallery,0,2119297.storygallery?coll=sfla-home-dots-utility.

If you would like to comment on Marine Attractions: Below The Surface, you can leave a message at 954-356-4854 or send an email to marine@sun-sentinel.com. Your comments may be used in subsequent reports, so please give your name and a phone number where you can be reached.

In addition, a TV news piece called "The Price They Pay for our Amusement" will air 10:PM tomorrow (Monday) night on channel 10 in the south Florida area.

The tide is truly turning as public opinion begins to see the truth about captive marine mammals in marine parks, and the Seaquarium in particular is getting swamped by the new awareness. As always, we'll keep you up to date.

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #71 - Seaquarium Sinking
April 20, 2004

Dear Friends of Lolita,

We haven't sent anything for several months because the situation in Miami seems to be slowly winding down to some kind of resolution, possibly very soon. It looks like the Seaquarium is in its death rattle. We told you last fall about the many safety code violations that were exposed by videographer Tim Gorski's (producer of Lolita - Slave to Entertainment) videos and described by Russ Rector of the Dolphin Freedom Foundation and by Safety Inspector Jon Wallace (CSP, MBA) of the University of North Carolina.

Jon did a follow up inspection over this past weekend and found several more violations. Most importantly, Jon found that Lolita's stadium still lacked the two additional public exits required by law. The Dolphin Freedom Foundation will file a complaint with the Governor of Florida asking for a full investigation into the "obvious corruption inside Dade County Building and Zoning and the Fire Marshall’s offices."

The bottom line in the news story below is the bottom line. "Lolita's stadium lacks some of the required emergency exits." The safety code requires 4 public exits, but the stadium only has 2. They tried putting "Emergency Exit" signs over two narrow staircases used by employees, but that's not legal, so now they have to cut down admissions to the stadium, cutting revenues accordingly. In addition, the Top Deck dolphin show is closed for renovations, as is the manatee show. The owners now face a massive and extremely expensive rebuild, or will have to shut down entirely.

This just in: Tim Gorski reports this evening that he has "video proof that they have not cut down on admissions to the Lolita stadium as the last paragraph of the article states. 10 minutes of complete congestion going in and out of the stadium and wheelchairs crowded around the ROPED OFF emergency exits."

We'll keep you posted. See www.miamiseaprison.com for more details.

Miami Herald
April 20, 2004
Dolphin advocate rips Seaquarium on hazards
A marine-mammal advocate whose complaints last year prompted Miami-Dade County to cite the Miami Seaquarium with dozens of violations blasted the popular attraction again Monday (emphasis ours).

According to Russ Rector, head of the Dolphin Freedom Foundation, a second review by a private safety consultant showed four new electrical violations as well as failure to adequately provide safety exits at the stadium housing Lolita, the killer whale.

County and Seaquarium officials said the attraction has been working to correct the 137 violations noted by building and fire officials since Rector began his campaign last year to heighten scrutiny of the Miami landmark.

...Andrew Hertz, general manager of the Seaquarium, acknowledged that Lolita's stadium lacks some of the required emergency exits, but has taken steps with the county's blessing -- such as limiting the number of patrons allowed into the shows -- to ensure safety.

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #70 - More on Keiko
December 15, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

Below is Orca Network's News Release on Keiko; please visit our website News page for some of the many news articles about Keiko's life and times at: http://www.orcanetwork.org/captivity/keikostory.html

NEWS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2003
Howard Garrett, Susan Berta
ORCA NETWORK (360) 678-3451
info@orcanetwork.org
www.orcanetwork.org

Keiko
Keiko's story could have easily ended in a small, substandard tank in Mexico City in 1993 - one more premature death of a captive whale, taken from his family to entertain people and make money for his owners.

But when Keiko starred in the movie "Free Willy", his life took a turn that launched him on a ten year adventure to get him back home. Because of the efforts of people involved in the film, the voices and pennies of thousands of school children, millions of dollars from an interested billionaire, support from animal advocates around the world, and marine park owners that believed Keiko deserved a better life, Keiko was given a second chance at life - at real life, the life of a wild orca swimming free in the ocean.

Keiko may not have been the best orca candidate for release - he was captured at a very young age, was ill from living in poor conditions, and little is known about the Atlantic population of orcas from which he was captured. Yet Keiko excelled in his journey to freedom, every step of the way.

Upon his move to a larger tank in Oregon, Keiko regained his health and his skin condition cleared up. He gained weight and muscle strength, he caught live fish with ease when first offered them, and was soon well prepared for his trip back home to Iceland. When he was lowered into his net pen in Iceland, Keiko immediately took to being back in the ocean after spending most of his life in a tank. Without any hesitation, he swam out of his sling, slapped his flukes and swam the perimeter of his pen, dove for long periods, feeling and hearing his ocean home for the first time since his capture as a young calf.

Keiko began taking long "walks" with support boats, and vocalized and swam with other whales. In August 2002, Keiko became much more independent, venturing out away from the support boat for up to 10 days at a time. Then Keiko took off for six weeks, being tracked only by satellite, until he showed up 1000 miles away in Norway, fit and well fed, but alone.

Keiko demonstrated he was not afraid of the ocean, that he was interested in wild whales, and that he could survive, travel and feed himself without assistance for long periods of time. The only obstacle Keiko could not overcome was that of finding his family, and unfortunately, the lack of human knowledge about Atlantic orcas hampered efforts for his successful reintegration into his wild orca community. Little is known about Atlantic orcas, it is not even known whether the Icelandic and Norwegian populations are one large group or several different communities. Though recordings were made of the wild orcas, and calls similar to Keiko's calls were found, it isn't known if he ever came close to any of his relatives or to orcas that spoke the same language and dialect.

In the Pacific Northwest, orca communities have been closely studied for three decades, and much is known about each community, pod, and individual orca, thanks to research conducted by the Center For Whale Research and others who have come to know the Northwest orcas so well.

Keiko has paved the way for other captive orcas who should be given their chance at freedom, and two of the best candidates are northwest orcas whose families are well known. Corky, from the Northern Resident Community, and Lolita, from the Southern Resident Community, are both the oldest and longest-held captive orcas in the world. We know their families well, and they deserve to be given the opportunity Keiko was given - to retire from their 34 years in the entertainment business, to swim wild and free in the ocean, and to join their families.

We are especially concerned with Lolita's situation at this time. She remains isolated in the smallest tank in the country, in a rundown, unsafe marine park, with no other whales for companionship. The Miami Seaquarium was recently cited for over a hundred safety violations, and is undergoing numerous repairs. Lolita's stadium and show has been closed since the beginning of November, while construction work goes on around her pool. She has no where else to go, and what kind of stress do these conditions impose on her?

There is no better time than now to bring Lolita back home to her family. The Seaquarium doesn't have the money to build her a bigger tank, as they have promised for 25 years, and she is living on borrowed time for a captive orca. If returned to the wild, she could at the very least live a happier, healthier life in a sea pen; and at best, be rejoined with her family to swim alongside them and perhaps even have a calf.

We are happy Keiko was given the opportunity to once again experience life in the wild, to be in his ocean home again, to swim free and spend his last years unconfined by concrete walls. Our hearts are heavy with the loss of this much-loved orca, but we hope we can learn from Keiko's journey, and that other orcas will be given a chance to follow in his fluke-prints.

For more information on Lolita's story and other captive whales, visit Orca Network's website at: www.orcanetwork.org and click on "Lolita/Captivity". To receive Free Lolita Email Updates, contact info@orcanetwork.org to subscribe.

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #69 - Very sad Keiko news...
December 13, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

We received some very sad news last night - . Keiko has died of pneumonia in Norway. Below is a news release from the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation and The US Humane Society. Keiko did more than any other whale to draw attention to the plight of all whales in captivity, and to bring attention to our whale neighbors in the wild as well. He will be truly missed, and will always hold a very special place in our hearts...

We'll be sending along more about Keiko's life and times soon~
Howard Garrett & Susan Berta
Orca Network

FREE WILLY- KEIKO FOUNDATION
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE US

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 12, 2003

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dave Phillips
Free Willy - Keiko Foundation
(415) 788-3666 ext. 145

Nick Braden
The HSUS
(301) 258-3072
Cell: (202) 997-2550
nbraden@hsus.org

KEIKO, THE MOST FAMOUS WHALE IN THE WORLD, DIES IN NORWAY

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Free Willy Keiko Foundation and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reported today that Keiko, the orca whale, died today in the Taknes fjord, Norway, in the company of staff members who have been caring for him there.

Keiko's veterinarian believes that acute pneumonia is the most likely cause of death, though he also cited that Keiko was the second oldest male orca whale ever to have been in captivity. The two organizations managing Keiko's reintroduction effort expressed sadness at Keiko's death while also heralding his amazing journey.

David Phillips, president and founder of the Free Willy - Keiko Foundation stated, "Rescuing Keiko from a cramped pool in Mexico and bringing him back to his home waters is the most spectacular effort ever launched for an animal." He continued: "Keiko was a champion; the most incredible whale."

Paul Irwin, president of The HSUS added: "Our intention from the very beginning, over a decade ago, was to provide Keiko with the chance for freedom, and that is exactly what he got. He came a long, long way and showed that returning captive whales to the wild is not simply a dream."

Dr. Lanny Cornell, Keiko's lead veterinarian and a world renowned expert on orca care, stated: "The most likely cause of death is from acute pneumonia, though it must be noted that at age 27, Keiko was one of only two male orca whales ever to have survived past 25 years in captivity." He continued: "We have monitored Keiko's health very closely, and until only a day ago his appetite, activity and blood tests were all excellent."

Yesterday, Keiko exhibited signs of lethargy and lack of appetite. Consultation was continuous between his caretakers and Dr. Cornell. His behavior was still abnormal this morning and his respiratory rate was irregular, but, as is often the case with whales and dolphins in human care, these were advanced signs of his condition. With little warning, Keiko beached himself and died in the early evening local time.

A decade ago, Keiko was featured in the Hollywood movie, Free Willy, prompting a worldwide effort to rescue him from poor health, in an attempt to allow him to be the first orca whale ever returned to the wild. In 1996 Keiko was flown aboard a United Parcel Service plane to a new rehabilitation facility in Newport, Oregon. There he was returned to health and trained in the skills necessary to be a wild whale. In late 1998, Keiko was flown in a U.S. Air Force jet to a sea-pen in Iceland. In the summer of 2002, Keiko joined the company of wild whales and swam nearly 1000 miles to the Norwegian coast. Since then, Keiko has been cared for in a fjord where he was free to come and go by his own choice.

Keiko inspired millions of children to get involved in following his amazing odyssey and helping other whales. Keiko's journey also inspired a massive educational effort around the world and formed the basis for several scientific studies. Thousands of people traveled to Norway in the past year to see Keiko, continuing his legacy as the most famous whale in the world.

Phillips stated: "Keiko was a trailblazer, the first orca whale ever rescued from captivity. There's still a lot of work to be done to see that captive whales are given a chance to be free. Keiko showed what is possible if these animals are just given the chance."

Irwin stated: "From the beginning, we did the right thing for Keiko and we intend to continue the fight to keep whales free."

More information about Keiko and a timeline of his amazing journey to freedom can be found on The HSUS web site at www.hsus.org.

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #68
December 1, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

Some events have recently transpired at the Seaquarium that bear watching closely and that offer some intriguing possibilities. It seems that on November 1st the SQ quietly closed the whale stadium, and the manatee pool has been closed since September. No date has been given for when the whale stadium will be reopened, and no news reports have covered news of these closures. The SQ website does however admit that these parts of the park are closed for "enhancements", if you happen to visit their "Admissions" page. That's all. Most visitors don't check the website and there's been nothing about the closings in the news, so people still come to the park.

The closures are the result of the many safety and fire violations recently exposed and publicized, that Miami Dade County is finally requiring the Seaquarium to correct. This is proving to be very costly for the Seaquarium - not only the millions of dollars the repairs will cost, but the lost revenues from the closure of the whale stadium and reaction from a public that doesn't want to visit a rundown and unsafe marine park.

Now more than ever it's important to present the case that there is no significant risk in Lolita's transport or placement in her home waters, and that Lolita is capable and competent to return to her native habitat, at the very least in a human care situation. Further, the possibility exists that she would vividly recall her habitat and her family membership in L pod of the Southern Resident orca community. In fact, Lolita still uses her family's unique vocalizations to this day.

If Lolita did indeed rejoin her family, her return could help the Southern Residents - listed as endangered by Canada and as depleted by the US National Marine Fisheries Service and are about to be listed as endangered by the State of Washington. Several females in her family have given birth into their mid-forties, and Lolita is in her late thirties. She could therefore still have a calf and ironically, Lolita's blubber may contain less of the toxins like PCBs that her family has accumulated in dangerous quantities over the years, so her baby may actually have a better chance of long term survival than those of the rest of her clan.

Circumstances are pointing to a very short future for the Seaquarium, and we will do all in our power to make sure Lolita doesn't end up in another tank somewhere. The Seaquarium's misfortune and bleak future could prove to be Lolita's chance for a one way ticket back to her family in Washington, and a well-deserved bright future after her 33 years of performing and living alone, so far from home. We'll let you know as things develop.....

And for those of you who have been following the story of Luna, the other "missing" L pod whale who has been alone in Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island for the past 2 1/2 years.....there is good news and bad news. Canada's Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans finally agreed Luna should be moved back south to her pod's waters, but then said they didn't have the funding to do it. The US National Marine Fisheries Service stepped up with funding, and then the Canadian Government came up with some funding, and we were all ready for Luna to come home this fall or winter while L pod is still frequenting the inland waters of Washington State & British Columbia. But then DFO decided it was too late in the season to proceed, and opted to delay Luna's reunion until the Canadian and US Governments could meet to come up with a new reunification plan. They have yet to announce what that plan is, or what the timing will be, but we are hoping Luna will be brought back by springtime for an early summer reintroduction to L pod. We will keep you updated on any news regarding Luna's return as well - it is our hope that 2004 will be the year that the two missing L pod whales, Lolita and Luna, will FINALLY be reunited with their family!

For more information on Luna, Lolita, and their family, please visit our website at: www.orcanetwork.org

Howard Garrett
Orca Network
Greenbank WA
(360) 678-3451
www.orcanetwork.org
howard@orcanetwork.org ###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #67
October 11, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

The Seaquarium has made some cosmetic fixes to its antiquated buildings:
Sat, Oct. 11, 2003 Seaquarium adding one emergency exit

Miami Seaquarium's operators, cited for 36 safety violations by Miami-Dade County fire inspectors, said Friday that they would add an emergency exit at the stadium housing Lolita the Killer Whale to avoid having to reduce seating capacity.

This may not be the end of the story however, and we'll let you know as soon as more news breaks.

We're also working on reuniting Luna (L98) a four-year-old orca calf from Lolita's family who was unfortunately left behind and lost in a remote cove in British Columbia over two years ago. We'll have much more to tell about Luna soon, or go to www.reuniteluna.org, or www.orcanetwork.org/news/lunaforum.html for the latest events about Luna's hopefully immanent homecoming.

For now though, on the other side of the world, we've just heard about a new orca capture in Russia. This is the first time since 1997 that an orca has been captured alive for the captivity industry and the first ever orca capture in Russian waters. This capture may set a precedent for further captures in Russian waters, leading to a revival of international trade in these animals by the captivity industry.

This unhappy news is just in from OrcaLab:

The capture of a young female orca in Russia’s far eastern waters and her subsequent shipment by air to a facility on the Black Sea coast have now been confirmed. The capture took place on September 26th and the shipment on October 5th. The 430cm long orca, perhaps just 6 years old, reached her desolate destination at the Utrish Marine station on October 6th. The facts of the capture and transport were confirmed in a letter to us from Dr. Lev Mukhametov of Moscow’s Utrish Dolphinarium Ltd. on October 8th . This “dolphinarium” operates under the auspices of the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is also closely following these alarming events. Additional details about the capture can be seen at: http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/FE9F5650FAFB273280256DBB002AFFEE.

A sample letter to Russian authorities can be found at: http://www.orcanetwork.org/help/kamchatka.html#sampleltr

Thank you,

Howard Garrett
Orca Network
Greenbank WA
(360) 678-3451
www.orcanetwork.org
howard@orcanetwork.org ###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #66
September 15, 2003 Dear Friends of Lolita (Tokitae),

The Seaquarium now has until October 22 to make full repairs or it will be shut down by Miami-Dade County. Seaquarium staff disconnected the electrical wires that were exposed and blocked off areas where guardrails were about to fall. The top two floors of the "reef tank" have been closed, the shark tank bridge has been closed, the training tank roof has been removed, and the railings in the whale stadium have been reinforced (visit www.orcanetwork.org/news/news.html#crumbling for the latest news articles).

There is a discrepancy between Saturday's report in the Florida Sun-Sentinel and our conversation this morning with the communications officer for the county building department. The Sun-Sentinel said: "Inspectors cited the park for about 125 violations, among them: A roof in the stadium for Lolita that rust had damaged beyond repair." Today I was told that the roof: "may not look pretty, but it's not in violation."

We don't know whether the roof is truly in violation or if that will take either more rigorous standards of compliance with code or more time to fall apart. Hurricane Isabel is a reminder that Miami sits directly in the path of many a hurricane. That rusted roof is extremely vulnerable to high winds. Photos from over three years ago show I-beams holding the roof up that are completely bored through with rust (see a photo of the stadium roof at http://www.orcanetwork.org/captivity.html). The Seaquarium sits in the middle of Biscayne Bay, where corrosive salt air constantly gnaws away at iron and concrete, the two primary materials that make up the Seaquarium.

In the meantime, the issue that's just as much a foundation of Tokitae's captivity as concrete and iron is the belief that it would be a "death sentence" to return her to her natural waters. As absurd as that claim is, if you ask any marine mammal trainer, any park veterinarian, or virtually any journalist or person on the street, they will tell you that the idea of returning a captive whale to its home is dangerous, reckless and without real regard for the welfare of the whale. We've heard it constantly for ten years. It's a tribute to nearly 50 years of dedicated public relations efforts by the marine park industry, which began in earnest at the Miami Seaquarium in 1954.

So we're asking you now to help dispel the notion that it would somehow be detrimental to Tokitae's health to once again feel the waters she was born in. As Friends of Lolita you must know this by now, but just as a refresher, we advocate for Toki's retirement to a bay pen in her natural waters for a period of time where she would be monitored and cared for 24/7. When there is an obvious vocal and visual connection with her family, and when her body language and her veterinarian indicate that she is ready and eager to swim free and rejoin them, the net can be dropped and she'll have her chance. If she chooses not to do so, or if she returns to the bay pen at any time, the care staff will be on hand to meet her every need indefinitely. There is no appreciable risk involved at any stage of this plan. Suitable locations have been identified for her pen.

We understand that Toki is legally the property of the Miami Seaquarium and that if the park is forced to shut down she will probably be sold to another marine park. The stress of the move, only to end up in another concrete box, could devastate Toki's mental and physical health. Realistically, there is only a slim chance to head off this dismal fate. Our request is that each of you draw from the above description of Toki's release plan and write letters to just two institutions that may play a pivotal role in Toki's prospects for happiness.

The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) is the umbrella organization for virtually all marine parks, including Sea World, Six Flags in Ohio, and the Seaquarium. A good letter to the AMMPA will resonate throughout the industry. Please mention that transferring Lolita to any marine park would be totally unacceptable and would result in widespread dissatisfaction (and a full-scale campaign against the park that takes her) because any tank would be a death sentence and there is no reason to believe she could not safely and successfully return to her home and habitat. Please feel free to use your own words.

First, please write a letter to:

Marilee Menard
Executive Director
Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums
418 North Pitt Street Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 549-0137
Fax: (703) 549-0488
Email: ammpa@aol.com

A letter to the USDA could also help encourage them to follow through on the finding by Miami-Dade County that the safety violations at the Seaquarium present hazards to both humans and animals. Exposed electrical wiring combined with crumbling structures at a marine park add up to severe danger of electrocution for every dolphin, sea lion, shark, fish and turtle at the Seaquarium. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service should certainly look into these concerns.

That address is:

Secretary Ann Veneman
Rm 200-A
Whitten Bldg.
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
14th and Independence Ave. SW
Washington DC 20250

Finally, as a courtesy we should thank the Miami-Dade County Building Dept.

Please send a thank you to:

Miami-Dade County Building Director Charles Danger
c/o the Honorable Alex Penelas
Executive Mayor, Miami-Dade County
Stephen P. Clark Center
111 NW 1st Street, Suite 2910
Miami FL 33128
Phone: 305-375-5071
mayor@metro-dade.com

Thank you once again for caring about Tokitae.

###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #65
September 13, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita

Finally - inspectors from Miami-Dade County (rather than inspectors hired by the Miami Seaquarium) have responded to taped evidence of serious code violations at the Miami Seaquarium, where Lolita, or Tokitae (L pod whale captured off Whidbey Island in 1970) has lived for the past 33 years. Below are excerpts from several news stories - visit our website news page for the full stories.

These violations describe a park that is literally crumbling. All 15 buildings in the park require repairs, in some cases major structural overhaul. The roof canapy over the whale stadium is "damaged beyond repair." It is a scandal that Miami-Dade County has accepted the word of Seaquarium contract employees until now.

The Seaquarium may be forced to shut down permanently rather than rebuild almost the entire park from the ground up. In that case, the question is:

What will happen to Tokitae?

We will be launching a letter-writing campaign to Miami-Dade County and the USDA, stay tuned for more info. Keep in mind this inspection revealed dangers to human and animal safety and welfare. The USDA Animal, Plant Health Inspection Service is responsible for the safety and welfare of the animals at the Seaquarium and we feel they have not been doing their job to make the Seaquarium follow regulations that are in place to ensure the safety of their animals. More to come soon......

Susan & Howard
Orca Network

###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #64
July 15, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

You are all invited to join us to commemorate Lolita's capture in Penn Cove on Friday, August 8, 2003, 5-8 p.m. at the Captain Whidbey Inn Coupeville - Whidbey Island, WA. We'll be just a few hundred yards from the spot where Lolita was lifted from the water and torn away from her family. There will be Special Guest Speakers, a Waterside Ceremony, Gourmet Appetizers & Desserts, a Silent Auction and Displays Event Admission: $15

For directions or more information, contact Orca Network at: (360) 678-3451 or email info@orcanetwork.org

For information on overnight accommodations at the Captain Whidbey Inn, call (360) 678-4097.

All are also welcome to join weekly demonstrations for Lolita every Sunday at the Seaquarium. As Ric O'Barry put it, with each demo there is "new blood, new energy!" For directions or more information on the demonstrations, contact Tim Gorski at timgorski@hotmail.com

According to scientists who study the human brain, we tend to look at the world either with our hearts or our heads, through our emotions or our intellect. Either way you look at it, Lolita needs to return to her home waters in Washington State. If you want to feel the power of her story in an emotion-packed, visual experience, there is no better way than to see Lolita - Slave to Entertainment, the documentary produced this year by Tim Gorski. It won "Best Documentary" at the New Jersey International Film Festival, and "Best Feature Documentary" at the Newport Beach Film Festival. It will soon air nationally on Free Speech TV (www.freespeech.org). To find future screenings of Lolita - Slave to Entertainment.

Here's what the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (July 14, 2003) has to say about the film:

"Let's free Lolita!" one member from the audience shouted after a showing of the controversial documentary, Lolita: Slave to Entertainment

"The film, which premiered this weekend as part of the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival at Cinema Paradiso, gives an hourlong look at the killer whale's life and the ongoing movement to free her from the tank she now calls home.

"She's been stuck at the Seaquarium for 33 years," said the film's director, Timothy Gorski. "We want to educate the public. All they see is a happy whale doing tricks. Lolita has been taken away from her natural home and is forced to swim in circles."

"Activists kicked off their Lolita campaign after another captured orca, Keiko, star of the movie Free Willy, was freed from a Mexico City aquarium in 1998 and is now getting re-acquainted with the wild off the coast of Norway with the help of trainers.

"Activists want the same for Lolita; the Seaquarium says no way. Lolita supporters picket the park every Sunday, calling it the Miami "Seaprison." (Go to www.miamiseaprison.com to see what they're talking about.)

"Seaquarium officials declined to be interviewed but offered a statement from the park's executive vice president and general manager, Andrew Hertz: "If she left now, there is no scientific evidence that she could survive in the open waters of the ocean."

This tired old claim can't stand the light of day, so, for those who like to carefully consider the facts, we've put together the real scientific evidence in a letter to Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas. Show it to your scientist friends. It contains some new discoveries that very few people have heard of. This letter gives the straight facts of the matter. Here are some excerpts:

"At no point in such a reintroduction program is there any significant risk to Lolita, to other orcas, or to humans.

"Orcinus orca possesses capabilities not found in other animals, including other large mammal species, that when taken together indicate extreme social cohesion, highly developed memory retention and extraordinary adaptability. Lolita's ability to adapt to solitary life in such a small tank speaks volumes about her adaptive abilities. Re-adaptation back to her familiar surroundings would be a much easier adjustment.

"Recent recordings of Lolita have demonstrated that she has retained the use of her matrilineal dialect, unique to her family of birth, the L25 subpod of the Southern Resident orca community, despite her 33 years absence.

"Taken together, these three recent scientific developments strongly indicate that orcas, including Lolita, are aware of their cultural origins, retain cultural knowledge indefinitely (demonstrated by Lolita's use of her family's unique vocalizations), and are able to communicate information about their cultural identity to other individuals that share their vocal traditions. We now know that we are mistaken to lump orcas with other animals when estimating their knowledge, memories and capabilities.

"Trust, when reciprocated, seems to come easy for orcas.

"There is no evidence to support the assumption that Lolita has lost her ability to hunt for live fish.

"Considering these recent scientific advances, there is no further biological rationale for Lolita's continued captivity; only a financial justification. It is time for the scientific community and responsible public officials to speak up now for Lolita's return to her home waters, before it is too late.

Whether you feel an emotional connection to Lolita's sad situation, or you prefer an analytical, science-based approach, the right course of action is clear: Lolita must be allowed to return home.

The best news we've heard for a long time was that Springer, the 2-year-old lonely orphaned orca who hung around near Seattle for six months last year, was seen on July 9 along with her grandmother's family, just as she was when last seen on October 4, 2002. She's reunited and doing just fine. There's yet another clue that Lolita would know her family and could rejoin them sooner or later, if she's allowed to return to be with them.

We'll keep you posted!

###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #63
May 24, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

Lolita's friends in Miami have announced they will be out in front of the Seaquarium EVERY Sunday from now on, demanding her rescue from that concrete hole and retirement to her home waters in Puget Sound.


PRESS RELEASE
May 23, 2003

Memorial Day Weekend--DEMONSTRATION
Remembering those who suffer and die for human entertainment.
Huge Controversy in Miami, FL: Demonstration to Save Lolita, the captive orca at the Miami Seaquarium who has been trapped in an illegal tank for 33 years.
Contacts: Miami: Valerie Silidker, 954-562-4981
Sponsored by the Orca Network: Howard Garrett/Susan Berta
phone (360)678-3451; cell 360-661-3739; email:info@orcanetwork.org;
www.orcanetwork.org
When: May 25th, Sunday
Time: 11am-3pm
Where: Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL

Other news:
A very important drama is unfolding in Argentina concerning Kshamenk, a young male forced to beach himself in 1992. When Six Flags Parks bought the Ohio Sea World park, they imported a young female named Shouka who was born in captivity in France. Shouka was ripped from her mother and six other orcas - the only family she's ever known. Six Flags intended to import Kshamenk from Argentina, but last August Argentina denied the export because Kshamenk's capture and even present ownership were too suspicious. The week after Kshamenk's export was denied Six Flags stock price dropped from around $15 to around $5, where it has stayed ever since. The government of Argentina is looking into the possibility of releasing Kshamenk back to his native waters. We offer them our support and encouragement to do so. Kshamenk's release will demonstrate once again that Lolita's reintroduction presents no risk to her health or to her family. On the contrary, keeping her there in that tank endangers her every single day.

From Tim Gorski:
We've got another one. This one may be easier than Lolita because the park is not privately owned and the government of Argentina is interested in helping the animal. We need your support, please send a letter to liberen_a_kshamenk@hotmail.com and spread this message!
regards
tim

We'll be in touch...

###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #62
May 15, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

We're keeping the heat on the Seaquarium, where Lolita remains stranded in concrete, a slave to the entertainment industry. On Mother's Day, May 11, the demo for Lolita surpassed all expectations. You'll find Val's description of the demonstration below. Channel 7 in Miami devoted two minutes to telling Lolita's true story, and the response has been unbelievable. There are many new Friends of Lolita now, so we hope many more people will come and express themselves at the next demonstration for Lolita, on Sunday, May 18th!!

This message is from Val Sildiker and Tim Gorski in Miami:

We're going back! This Sunday we will be back outside the Miami SeaPRISON to let them know that we are NOT going away.


Why: To Rescue and Retire LOLITA!
Where: Miami Seaquarium
When: Sunday May 18th
Time: 11am-4pm (We'll be there...whatever time you can give would be great!)
Directions: Miami Seaquarium 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway MAP

From the North: Take I-95 South, Exit 1 (Miami Seaquarium), and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway. The seaquarium will be on your right.

From the South: take US1 North, exit to right just before the on-ramp to I-95, and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway.

Do not park in the seaquarium! You can park just before the seaquarium in the lot by the water.

One protest a year is NOT enough! Mother's Day was only the beginning. Please join us...for Lolita and all the other captive animals at the Miami Seaquarium.

Together we can raise the awareness of people everywhere and get Lolita out of there. It's time for her to go home.

For the animals...
Val Silidker*
Tim Gorski

AND...WPLG Channel 10 in Miami is conducting a survey to see how people feel about whether Lolita should go free. Please vote, it just takes a second. Go to http://www.click10.com/news/2196396/detail.html

From Val Sildiker:
May 11

Hello my friends,

First of all, I want to thank each one of you for coming out on Mother's Day to speak up for Lolita and the cruelty of captivity. It was a long, hot day...but it was worth it!

We had a fantastic turn out of about 40-50 people throughout the day. Three activists disrupted Lolita's 1:00 show, one with a megaphone taped to her arm!

AND...you were all on the news! Channel 10 and 7 covered the demonstration. I hope that everyone had a chance to see it, because the story was amazing. Channel 10 presented both sides as a controversial issue and stayed pretty much in the center. Ric O'Barry and I were interviewed as well as a trainer from the Miami Seaquarium.

But the best coverage was channel 7 @ 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00! Not only did they begin by comparing Lolita's situation to the Free Willy controversy (I believe they said that we have our own Free Willy developing right here in S. Florida), but they showed graphic clips of her capture from our documentary and basically told Lolita's life story! It was compassionate and disturbing and really gave people a glimpse of the true horror of capturing animals from the wild. (Although, just for the record, Lolita was captured in Puget Sound--off the coast of Washington State, not Massachusetts).

Also, Tim and I had a few moments of interview. When the MS trainer was interviewed, after the audience had a chance to see the brutal capture footage and learn the controversy surrounding Lolita, he basically said that this is America and everyone is entitled to their opinion and that he felt they have a great marine park with lots of good shows so come on out to the Miami seaquarium. Ugh! He didn't even address the issue. Instead, he seemed to use the news as a chance to plug the park. Unbelievable. At the end of the story, Channel 7 put the OrcaNetwork.org website on the screen and told people to go there for more information on how they can get involved to help Save Lolita! It was fantastic!

Thank you so much for your compassion. None of this could have happened without all of your help.

Please, if you haven't had a chance to see the documentary Lolita: Slave to Entertainment and would like to get a copy, go to: Order your copy.

Last month, Tim and I were guests on Bob Linden's GO Vegan Radio show in LA and had an opportunity to talk about Lolita. And today, we had an opportunity to be guests on the Go Vegan Texas radio show in Houston and talk about the Mother's Day demonstration as well as the Lolita film. So the message IS getting out there.

And Mother's Day was just the beginning.

We'll keep you posted!

Val

###

Previous | Next | Top of Page

Free Lolita Update #61
May 4, 2003

Dear Friends of Lolita,

Demo at the Miami Seaquarium Mother's Day, May 11th, to help raise awareness and Free Lolita! If you can't make the demo, please join us in sending a Mother's Day Letter for Lolita, asking for her freedom (see info. at end of this message or go HERE for letter-writing tips.

Please make a note of it, and pass this email on to everyone! Orca Network will be having a Mother's Day demo on behalf of Lolita (and all the other animals trapped in captivity, who are exploited for human entertainment).

When: Sunday, May 11th--Mother's day Where: Miami Seaquarium Time: 11am-4pm (We will be there the entire time. Whatever time you can give will be greatly appreciated) Directions: Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway (map)

From the North
Take I-95 South, Exit 1 (Miami Seaquarium), and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway. The seaquarium will be on your right.

From the South
Take US1 North, exit to right just before the on-ramp to I-95, and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway.

Do not park in the seaquarium parking lot! You can park just before the seaquarium in the park by the water, or just past the seaquarium lot.

Please try to make it...we need all of your voices. :-)

Also, Lolita: Slave to Entertainment -- We will be having a free screening of our film this Sunday, May 4th at 6pm. (order your copy)

ADDRESS: 516 SW 18 St, #1
Ft. Lauderdale
DIRECTIONS: from I-95--head east on St. Rd. 84 (Marina Mile) to 9th St. (you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your left). Make a left on 9th (north), make a right on 18 st. and head east for about 3 blocks. You will see 516 #1 on your right between 6th Ave and 4th Ave.
Please try and make the screening. This film will help answer all of your questions about Lolita's life. If you have any questions, please email Val Silidker or call 954-562-4981.

Quick Facts:

Lolita, the beautiful orca imprisoned in the Miami Seaquarium, was kidnapped from her family in Puget Sound in 1970.

Though a young adult, she is the oldest captive killer whale in the world, having outlived all 44 others captured from her family by over 15 years.

Lolita has been kept in the world's oldest and smallest tank--a chlorinated cement pool that is illegal according to the Animal Welfare Act.

In the wild, orcas have a life expectancy similar to humans, BUT orcas in captivity rarely make it through their teens.

Biologists monitor Lolita's family almost daily and are confident that she could be reunited with them. She still speaks her unique family dialect, but she has no one to speak to. :-(

Lolita belongs in the wild where she can socialize with her family, find a mate and give birth to her own baby, experience the rhythms of the sea, feed herself, make her own decisions...and be free to LIVE without domination and exploitation.

Lolita's reunion with her home and family is supported by Lolita's Legion, The Humane Society of the U.S., World Society for the Protection of Animals, The American Society for the Protection of Animals, Pacific Whale Foundation, Zoocheck Canada, Animal Rights Online, Animal Legal Defense Fund, In Defense of Animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Born Free Foundation, The Animal Welfare Institute, dozens of other national and international animal rights and animal welfare groups, a long list of Washington and nationwide elected officials, and thousands of friends of Lolita.

Please join us and help Free Lolita!!!

For the animals...

Orca Network, with Tim Gorski and Val Silidker of Rattle the Cage Productions.

A message from Susan Berta~~~ Mother's Day is a time for families,
to celebrate the special bond between
a mother and her offspring.

Orcas have these same bonds ­
calves stay with their mothers for life,
swimming in her slipstream, staying close
to the pod for comfort and company.

Join us this Mother's Day
to ask for Lolita's return to her
orca family in Puget Sound.
It is time she is reunited with her pod,
and given the chance to
become a mother herself.

Help us bring Lolita home
by sending a Mother's Day
Letter or Card to: The Honorable Alex Penelas
Executive Mayor, Miami-Dade County
Stehpen P. Clark Center
111 NW 1st Street, Suite #2910
Miami, FL 33128

Secretary Ann Veneman
Rm 200-A
Whitten Bldg
U.S. Dept of Agriculture
14th & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250

Chief, Protected Resources Division National Marine Fisheries Service
525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500
Portland, OR 97232

The Honorable Governor Jeb Bush
PL05 The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Talahassee, FL 32399-0001
Call: 850/488-4441
Fax: 850/487-0801

###