TRAINER MARCIA HINTON WITH LOLITA A CAPTIVE ORCA WHALE AT THE MIAMI SEAQUARIUM.
LOLITA WHO HAD ENTERTAINED GUESTS FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS BEFORE THE PARK BOWED TO PUBLIC PRESSURE AND PLANNED TO RELEASE HER INTO THE OCEAN,DIED FRIDAY AS PER NEW YORK TIMES REPORT
THE ORCA ALSO KNOWN AS TOKITAE AND TOKI HAD SHOWN "SERIOUS SIGNS OF DISOMFORT" OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS BEFORE SHE DIED OF WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A RENAL ISSUE ,THE MIAMI SEAQUARIUM SAID IN A POST ON FACE BOOK.
THE DOLPHIN CO WHICH OWNS THE AQUATIIC PARK ,SAID IN MARCH THAT RELOCATING LOLITA WOULD HAPPEN IN ABOUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS AQUARIUMS AND THEME PARKS WITH KILLER WHALES HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY OVER THE YEARS,WITHADVOCATES AND REGULATORS RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT HOW MAINE MAMMALS ARE TREATE
D IN CAPTIVITY.
