Описание
Lolita (Low lita), originally known as Tokitae (Toki tay), is an orca at the Miami Seaquarium. She was a member of the L pod. When she was about four years old she was captured on August 8, 1970 at Penn Cove, Puget Sound, off the coast of Washington, and is now the oldest captive orca. The Penn Cove Capture became controversial due to the large number of wild orcas that were taken (seven) and the number of deaths that resulted: four juveniles died, as well as one adult female who drowned when she became tangled in a net while attempting to reach her calf.
When she first arrived at Miami Seaquarium, Lolita was put in the 'Whale Bowl'. Miami Seaquarium had another orca, Hugo, who lived in a different tank, called the 'Celebrity Bowl', which now houses manatees. The two orcas would vocalize to each other, and Hugo was later moved into the Whale Bowl with Lolita. At first, they were aggressive with each other, but then became more compatible with each other and more aggressive towards their trainers. Lolita and Hugo mated several times, and it was reported that Lolita was pregnant from this. However, she never delivered a live offspring. In 1980, during a show, Hugo slammed his head into a tank wall, causing a brain anyeurysm, breaking the glass on the side of the tank (which ripped off his 'nose', or rostrum), and had to have his rostrum sewn back on. Later, he died and Lolita was left all alone. Hugo's body was thought to have been put in the Miami Dade dump. Lolita does not live with any other orcas currently. She vocalizes in captivity, in the unique calls used only by her pod. She is still apparently healthy. She is a large orca, measuring 22 feet (6.7 m) long and weighing 7,800 pounds (3,500 kg). This makes her one of the largest female orcas in captivity. Since Lolita arrived at the Miami Seaquarium, she has lived in their Whale and Dolphin Stadium, where she performs 1–2 shows daily. Lolita is the subject of the documentary Lolita: Slave to Entertainment released in 2008.Various groups consider that Lolita should be released into the wild.
Whale activists have proceeded to sue the U.S. government in federal court in Seattle, claiming that Lolita, captured from Puget Sound waters in 1970, should be accorded the same protection status granted to other Southern Resident orcas in 2005, as members of an endangered species.
