It’s true that being set free after decades of imprisonment can come with challenges. But those challenges don’t compare to the conditions under which orcas in captivity live. Many suffer not only physical ailments but mental health issues, such as depression and psychosis, from living in a space that, for them, is equivalent in size to a bathtub.
Op-Ed originally published August 30, 2023 on Miami Herald
Though rare, Lolita would not have been the first orca to be
released back into the wild. Unfortunately, she died on Aug. 18,
before the plan was realized.
Keiko, the orca featured in the movie “Free Willy,” is perhaps the
most famous. Keiko lived in the wild for five years before his
passing.
More recently, a formerly captive orca from Russia was spotted
hunting and playing with a pod of other orcas, proving that
reacclimating to life in the wild is possible for these majestic
creatures, despite what uninformed naysayers would have you believe.
For more than half a century, Lolita—Toki—captured from
Washington’s Puget Sound in 1970, was a tourist attraction at the
Miami Seaquarium for 53 years. She lived, in isolated captivity, in
the world’s smallest orca tank. A 17-page report released by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture detailed the many problems with
Lolita’s enclosure — and the Seaquarium, in general — including
“critical” issues with the pools and enclosures, sick and injured
animals, and poor water quality.
Lolita was fed rotten fish, which was making her sick, and forced to
perform while injured, all against the medical advice of the
attending veterinarian.
Lolita's prison...
It’s true that being set free after decades of imprisonment can come
with challenges. But those challenges don’t compare to the
conditions under which orcas in captivity live. Many suffer not only
physical ailments but mental health issues, such as depression and
psychosis, from living in a space that, for them, is equivalent in
size to a bathtub.
Orcas are social creatures by nature, traveling in pods, but when in
captivity, are left isolated. At one time, Lolita shared her
enclosure with another orca named Hugo. However, Hugo died in 1980
from a brain aneurysm after repeatedly slamming himself into the
glass walls of the enclosure.
Research published in 2019 in the peer-reviewed Journal of
Veterinary Behavior notes:
“The scientific data on how both wild-caught and captive-born orcas fare in captivity are increasingly robust in demonstrating that they cannot thrive under artificial circumstances in concrete tanks. In captivity, orcas exhibit a wide range of abnormal behaviors and often die at an early age from infections and other health conditions that are uncommon in a wild setting.”
The paper concludes that, “Orcas are poor candidates for maintenance
in captivity,” yet they are the third most common marine mammal
found there. Currently, there are 55 orcas living in captivity
worldwide, 29 of which were born there and have never known freedom.
How do we, as a society, allow this?
The story of Lolita’s life is tragic and heartbreaking. She spent
more than five decades in solitary confinement, forced to perform
for humans. Her life was marked by isolation, loneliness and a lack
of mental and physical stimulation.
Her story underscores the inherent cruelty of keeping such highly
intelligent and socially complex creatures in captivity solely for
human entertainment.
It’s past time for us to address how we treat these sentient beings,
acknowledge the ethical implications of our actions and take a
strong, hard look in the mirror.
Let’s not let Lolita’s death be in vain.