Lolita, known as the loneliest whale in the world, died at age 57. According to reports, her death occurred after her retirement and as plans to return her to the wild were underway.
The Miami Seaquarium, where Lolita spent more than five decades in captivity, announced her passing on Friday. The seaquarium stated,
"Despite receiving the best possible medical care, she passed away Friday afternoon from what is believed to be a renal condition."
"Toki was an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story and especially to the Lummi nation that considered her family."
"Those of us who have had the honor and privilege to spend time with her will forever remember her beautiful spirit" it added.
Lolita started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort in the last 48 hours. Despite medical intervention, she passed away at the age of 57.
Back in March, a formal agreement was established between The Dolphin Company, the owner of the seaquarium, and the non-profit Friends of Lolita. The agreement outlined plans to return the whale to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest.
During a press conference, the Seaquarium, along with the nonprofit Friends of Lolita and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, revealed their effort to relocate Lolita to her natural habitat in around 18 months.
For years, experts and advocates have voiced their objections to Lolita's captivity, specifically highlighting the inadequate conditions of her tank, which measures 80 feet in length and 35 feet in width, making it the smallest of its kind in the US.
According to the report, just a mere decade following Lolita's arrival at the aquarium, her companion Hugo passed away due to repeated head trauma. This made Lolita the world's loneliest whale.
Lolita held the distinction of being the oldest captive whale at 56 years old. She continued performing until 2022 when she was finally retired after falling ill.
Lolita was captured off the coast of Washington in 1970 when she was four years old. Now, her mother, nearly a century old, still believes that Lolita lives in those same waters.
During the 1970s, the capture of orcas was legal, yet the practice was eventually banned in Washington following a series of protests against the separation of orcas from their mothers by hunters.
