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On May 9th and May 23rd, animal rights activists will stage protests in nine states at theme parks owned by Palace Entertainment, the company that operates the Miami Seaquarium, where the orca Lolita has been held captive for 45 years in the nation’s smallest killer whale tank. Palace, which owns 32 amusement and waterparks nationwide, purchased the Miami Seaquarium in 2014.

Lolita has lived in the nation’s smallest killer whale pool since 1970

Lolita was kidnapped from her pod off the coast of Washington state in 1970. For the first 10 years, she had a killer whale companion, Hugo, who reportedly committed suicide by pounding his head against the side of the tank. Since 1980, she has been alone, unable to interact with members of her own species or engage in any natural behaviors, such as hunting, diving and swimming in the open water. Her tank is just 20 feet deep.

Lolita is 20′ long. Her tank is 20′ deep.

Lolita’s captivity is not just cruel; it is illegal. In fact, Palace Entertainment is violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) in three ways. Lolita’s tank doesn’t meet minimum size requirements; she has no shade to protect her from Florida’s searing sun; and she does not have a killer whale companion.

In February, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) designated Lolita as endangered because she was taken from the protected Southern Resident Killer Whale population. This historic decision has provided legal ammunition to the groups that are suing the USDA for renewing Palace’s license in spite of its AWA violations.

Animal exploitation (photo: Matthew Hoelscher)

Palace Entertainment has been steadfast in its opposition to releasing Lolita to a seaside pen. In an effort to keep their biggest money maker, Seaquarium spokesperson Robert Rose tells the press that Lolita will die if she is released into the ocean. Advocates, on the other hand, assert that a coastal sanctuary would finally give her the opportunity to live — providing her with space to swim, communicate with her pod; receive rehabilitation; and be released if she is deemed capable of surviving in the wild.

The May 9th protests, organized by the group Shut Down Palace, will take place at Palace’s theme parks in Florida, Georgia, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh & Lancaster) and California.  On May 23rd, a second wave of protests will take place at Palace parks in New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

For Lolita, the Miami Seaquarium is a prison, not a palace (photo: Shut Down Palace)

The #ShutDownPalace protests are not the first major effort to liberate Lolita. In January, over 1,500 activists from around the world descended upon Miami to participate in the “Miracle March for Lolita.” In a rousing speech after the march, Jane Velez-Mitchell of JaneUnchained told the crowd to “get the police tape” because the Miami Sequarium is a “crime scene.”

Miracle March for Lolita on January 17, 2015 (photo: Christina Estrada)

Once an animal rights campaign is embraced by the mainstream public, the corporation that is targeted would be wise to stop defending, and start fixing, the issue in question. But all too often, companies fight to maintain the status quo, prioritizing short-term profits over their reputations and even the long-term viability of their organizations. This week, two companies foolishly dug in their heels by defending practices that have been rejected by the public and, in many cases, by their own customers.

NATIONAL PORK PRODUCERS COUNCIL

In a letter to the editor of the NY Times in response to an opinion piece criticizing gestation crates, the President of the National Pork Producers Council, Howard Hill, writes that the crates are humane and “allow farmers to provide individual care to sows, monitor their feed intake and eliminate aggression among sows.”

Is Mr. Hill living on the same planet as the rest of us? Surely he knows that even meat eaters reject the most intensive forms of farm animal confinement. In a recent poll taken in New Jersey, for example, 93% of respondents said they oppose pig gestation crates. The ship has sailed, Mr. Hill. If you want members of the public to take “pig producers” seriously, then you need to eliminate, not justify, the metal cages that drive pigs (and activists) insane. Individualized care? Really?

SEAWORLD

On December 9th, activists in San Diego hand-delivered a petition to the Mayor asking him to help retire Corky (aka Shamu), an orca who has been performing tricks in a barren pool since she was plucked out of the ocean in 1969 — 45 years ago!

Delivering petition to retire Corky

In response to the “Retire Corky” petition, SeaWorld issued a statement describing the activists as “a handful of extremists” who are “out of touch with reality” and stated that Corky is “happy and healthy.”

Corky gave birth 7 times in captivity. All of her babies died in a matter of days.

Those words might have resonated with the public before Blackfish created an anti-captivity revolution. Now, they make SeaWorld sound delusional. Does their stock price have to drop to $0 before they accept the fact that the whales who once earned them billions are now poised to sink the entire company?

The Public Relations office at the Miami Seaquarium is saying “no comment” in response to frantic inquires about the whereabouts of Lolita, an orca who has been living in the smallest killer whale tank in North America for 44 years.

The Seaquarium posted this statement for visitors on its website: “Due to routine maintenance at our Killer Whale and Dolphin Stadium, there will be no Killer Whale and Dolphin show until further notice.”

Statement on Seaquarium website

Some speculate that Lolita has been moved to an even smaller tank that is covered with a tarp:

Photo: @OrcaSOS

Lolita, who was stolen from her pod off the coast of Washington in 1970 when she was four, has captured the world’s attention because her tank that is smaller than the minimum size required by the Animal Welfare Act, and she has no orca companion or shelter from the sun.  Lolita can’t even dive because the the tank to which she is confined is shallower than the length of her body.

Lolita’s tank is just 35′ X 80′

On January 17th, over 1,000 people will gather in Miami for the Mircale March for Lolita, which promises to be the largest protest in history for a captive orca. The objective is to pressure the Seaquarium to release her to coastal sanctuary near her pod where she will be rehabilitated and transitioned back into the wild. Lolita’s mother is still alive.

Please call the Miami Seaquarium and ask where Lolita is: (305) 361-5705

In what promises to be the largest protest in history for a captive orca, the Miracle March for Lolita will take place at the Miami Seaquarium on January 17th, 2015. Lolita, who was stolen from her pod off the coast of Washington in 1970 when she was four, has been living in the smallest orca tank in the world for 44 years.

Lolita at the Miami Seaquarium

For the first 10 years, Lolita had a killer whale companion, Hugo, who reportedly died by pounding his head against the side of the tank. Since 1980, she has been alone, unable to interact with members of her own species or engage in any natural behaviors. Lolita can’t even dive because the the tank to which she is confined is shallower than the length of her body.

One of the Miracle March for Lolita organizers, Robin Jewell, says that over 1,500 people have signed up to participate on Facebook alone and that a film will be made to document the event. The goal, she says, is to shine a national spotlight on Lolita’s plight in an effort to liberate and return her to her pod. Lolita’s mother is still alive, and, even after 44 years, Lolita continues to vocalize in the calls used only by her family, which should help her reintegrate into her pod.

Seattle on Worldwide Day of Protests for Lolita

In addition to the grass roots movement to free Lolita, advocacy groups are using legal strategies to liberate her. The Animal Legal Defense Fund, PETA and the Orca Network have petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to send her home on the grounds that her pod is protected as an endangered species. To date, Lolita has been denied the same protection as her family. The groups have also sued the USDA because Lolita is kept in a tank that is smaller than the minimum size required by the Animal Welfare Act and has no orca companion or shelter from the sun.

Lolita at Miami Seaquarium

If and when Lolita is liberated, she will be transported by plane to a coastal sanctuary near her pod where she will be rehabilitated and, if possible, transitioned back into the wild. The Orca Conservancy and Orca Network have  published detailed plans for Lolita’s release.

The Miracle March for Lolita is an expensive endeavor, as the City of Miami is charging organizers for police officers, fireman, lane closures and other services. Please donate to help make this march a success.

In addition, please urge Miami Seaquarium owner Palace Entertainment to liberate Lolita so that the advocacy groups can take her home: PETA petition, Petition Site, Change.org petition, Born Free petition

Attend the Miracle March for Lolita and/or tell your friends about it.

The documentary film Blackfish sparked a movement to free catpive whales that has spread like wildfire into the mainstream public. As SeaWorld attempts to douse the flames in an effort to protect the multi-billion dollar empire it built on the backs of orcas, a shareholder lawsuit against the company is fanning them to greater heights. In 2014, SeaWorld stock has dropped about 50%, and attendance is down almost 5%.

SeaWorld San Diego (photo: Mike Blake/Reuters)

How did SeaWorld’s stock price, reputation and popularity decline so quickly? It was the combination of a killer documentary that aired on mainstream TV (CNN) and a relentless campaign by animal rights activists worldwide to expose the cruelty of orca captivity. The animal rights community is bringing SeaWorld to its knees.

As SeaWorld puts bandaids on the gaping wound of orca exhibits, such as announcing plans for bigger tanks, activists are ratcheting up the campaign against the company.

Wild orcas  swim up to 100 miles/day

In the streets, protests are being staged at SeaWorld parks; at parades which feature SeaWorld floats; and at meetings with SeaWorld executives. A massive protest at the Miami Seaquarium, where the orca Lolita lives by herself in the smallest enclosure in the country, is planned for January 17th, 2015. Already, almost 500 people have signed up to participate.

Photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

The battle to liberate captive orcas is reminiscent of the campaign to legalize gay marriage. On both issues, activists have relentlessly educated the public about an injustice, and they have complimented that effort with litigation, lobbying and street activism. It is because of activists that gay marriage is a foregone conclusion in the United States, and it is because of activists that orcas captivity will be outlawed.

Approximately 52 orcas are being held captive in aquariums in the U.S., Argentina, France, Spain, China, Japan and Russia. Coastal sanctuaries can accommodate these orcas when they are liberated.

Urge Macy’s to cancel SeaWorld’s float it the Thanksgiving Day Parade

To find out how you can lend your voice to captive orcas, please visit Blackfish.