VIRGINIA KEY, FLA. (WSVN) - There was more outpouring of love from animal rights activists toward Lolita, the beloved killer whale that died at the Miami Seaquarium after more than a half-century in captivity, as well as calls to stop what they describe as the mistreatment of other animals at the park.
Lolita, also known as Toki, was found dead Friday, after the Seaquarium said she began showing serious signs of discomfort.
Sunday afternoon, demonstrators returned to Virginia Key to protest outside the park.
“That right there was heartbreaking, watching her being carried out of the tank, because I actually knew her,” said an animal rights advocate.
Heidi Anthony, who was a dolphin trainer in the mid-to-late 1980s at the Seaquarium, spoke with 7News on Sunday.
While she didn’t work directly with Lolita, Anthony said, they shared brief interactions and was heartbroken to learn of her passing.
“She was brilliant, she was inquisitive, she was smart,” she said.
Anthony was one of many advocating for the marine mammal’s release.
“Lolita’s death taught us a lesson, and it really reawakened the debate about animals in captivity,” she said, “and I think we are where we are today — a far, far, far cry from where we were in the ’60s and ’70s, when we thought this was entertainment, so hopefully the world is becoming a better place.”
Seaquarium officials said the orca died from what they believe to be a renal condition.
But just a few days before, the park released a video with positive progress updates, which animal rights activists question.
Many of those who gathered Sunday outside the Seaquarium said these animals should not be forced to live in captivity.
“They captured her when she was 4 years old. Think about what that would mean if somebody captured our child at 4 years old,” said animal rights advocate Maria Fernandez. “I mean, how cruel is that? So it’s a horrible thing.”
“We’re also giving a voice to all the other animals that are stuck here and that will die here,” said another demonstrator. “They need to not renew the lease, shut it down and get these animals to a sanctuary where they belong.”
The Miami Herald on Saturday reported that Lolita’s body was transported to Georgia to learn her official cause of death.
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