Lolita the Killer Whale

 Lolita, nicknamed ‘Tokitae,’ is estimated to be over 40 years old, and has been living at Miami Seaquarium for the last 40 years.  She weighs more than 7000 pounds and is 20 feet in length.  Lolita is one of the oldest Killer Whales living in the care of humans.  

Lolita is remarkably intelligent and knows more than 100 behaviors, including cooperative behaviors with Pacific White-sided dolphins with whom she shares her pool.   Miami Seaquarium is the only place in the world where Pacific White-Sided dolphins can be seen alongside a Killer Whale. 

Lolita has been a member of the Miami Seaquarium family for four decades.  She is loved and well cared for by our training and veterinarian staff on a daily basis. She also plays an important role in educating the public about the need to conserve killer whales that populate our northwestern shores.  More than 85,000 school children and 600,000 other guests visit Miami Seaquarium each year to learn about Lolita and the other residents of the sea.

Lolita’s day starts off with a visit from the park veterinarians, who visually examine her body.  Throughout her day, she has a variety of sessions, which include training sessions, where she builds relationships with her trainers, as well as play time.  During playtime, she enjoys playing with her favorite enrichment devices; these include her wet suit blanket and crushed ice.  Lolita also enjoys playing with the hose, which she uses to massage her body and clean her beautiful teeth.

Lolita and her trainers spend numerous hours building their relationship.  She can distinguish between trainers and recognize when it is almost show time.  Trainers have the ability to free swim with her, which they are able to do since she enjoys their company.  When Lolita spends time with her trainers she enjoys receiving kisses and rubs on her tongue. 

Some  people suggest Lolita should be released back to the ocean.  Is this a viable option?

There is no scientific evidence that Lolita could survive in the open waters of the ocean.  It would be irresponsible to treat her life as an experiment and jeopardize her health and safety to follow the whims of a small group of individuals who have no firsthand experience working with a killer whale.

For 40 years, Lolita has been dependent upon being hand-fed daily.  Scientists agree that she has lost her ability to protect and feed herself in the wild.  She shares her habitat with Pacific white-sided dolphins – animals that could actually be part of her diet if she were in the wild.  Her habitat has been certified by the USDA as “…meets the intent and the letter of the law with regard to space requirements for orcas.”   The USDA goes on to say that her habitat, “far exceeds the minimum requirements established by the AWA (Animal Welfare Act) regulations.” 

Lolita has learned to trust humans completely, and this longstanding behavioral trust would be dangerous for her if she were returned to Puget Sound, where commercial boat traffic and human activity are heavy, pollution is a serious issue and the killer whale population has been listed as an endangered species by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The tragic story of Keiko, the killer whale of “Free Willy” fame serves as a stark reminder of this horrific proposal.  Keiko died in a Norwegian fjord in 2003, five years after his release.  He died alone, of pneumonia, unable to fend for himself and protect himself from the toxins and viruses found in the ocean.  The similarities between the Keiko story and what some individuals have asked us to do with Lolita are startling.  Miami Seaquarium is not willing to take this chance with Lolita’s life.

Lolita is very special and dear to us and she will continue to be an ambassador for her species from her home at Miami Seaquarium.