‘Infamy’: Animal-rights advocates protest death of Lolita at Miami Seaquarium. See photos
By Omar Rodríguez Ortiz and
Alie Skowronski
Dozens of animal-rights activists on Sunday stood outside the Miami Seaquarium protesting the in-captivity death of Lolita the orca.
The beloved 57-year-old killer whale, also known as Tokitae or Toki by advocates urging her freedom, died Friday at the Miami-area theme park, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, as plans to move her out were beginning to take shape.
Hours after her death, Lolita’s remains were loaded into a sling and moved by crane into an ice-packed semi-truck that would take it to the University of Georgia to do a necropsy. In a social media post, the Seaquarium said Friday that Lolita developed a renal condition in recent days.
The death of the famous orca, a mainstay attraction of Miami Seaquarium for more than 50 years, has sparked several protests outside the facility. Animal-rights activists condemned the Seaquarium over the years for confining Lolita in a tank small enough that it took just seconds for it to swim from end to end.
Miami Seaquarium shut down its facilities Saturday “to allow our team to reflect on Lolita’s life and legacy.”
On Sunday morning, a crowd gathered outside of the aquarium the mourn her loss and to protest what they consider was animal abuse as the facility reopened to the public.
The Miami Herald observed activists trying to convince guests arriving at the theme park to turn away.
Thomas Copeland told the Herald he remembers coming to the park as a child to watch Lolita perform, and then taking his son years later.
“About 15 years ago, I visited with my son because my parents brought me here when I was a kid, and after seeing it again, that’s what sparked change for me,” Copeland said. “Today is a day what will live in infamy because Lolita ‘Tokiti’ died.”
Copeland wasn’t the only one upset over Lolita’s death. Take a look at photos of others joining the protest:
Stephanie Lane, with speciesism.wtf animal rights organization, stands with other during a gathering organized by SoFlo Animal Rights Activism two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. Protestors were hoping to turn people away from visiting the Seaquarium. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Shani Roushar, who came to Miami Seaquarium as a kid, holds a sign in protest during a gathering two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. “She was my orca in my backyard, and then about 10 years ago I really started thing about it & seeing how bad it was,” said Roushar. Protestors were hoping to turn people away from visiting the Seaquarium. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Maria Fernandez, right, arrives to drop off flowers for Lolita and Shani Roushar points her in the right direction during a gathering two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. “I grew up in Key Biscayne and I was always pro them letting her go, and now it’s too late,” said Fernandez. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Maria Fernandez drops off flowers for Lolita during a gathering two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. “I grew up in Key Biscayne and I was always pro them letting her go, and now it’s too late,” said Fernandez. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Stephanie Lane, with speciesism.wtf animal rights organization, poses in front of other activists during a gathering organized by SoFlo Animal Rights Activism two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Hilda Cummings, left, tells Gerardo Russo, visiting from New York for the protest, that Miami Seaquarium told them to take down the signs posted on their land during a gathering two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. Protestors were hoping to turn people away from visiting the Seaquarium. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Thomas Copeland, center, speaks with people in support of boycotting the Miami Seaquarium at a gathering on the front lawn two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. “About 15 years ago, I visited with my son because my parents brought me here when I was a kid, and after seeing it again, that’s what sparked change for me,” said Copeland. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
People gather two days after Lolita’s death outside the Miami Seaquarium to attempt to turn people away from visiting on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Flowers for Lolita sit outside the Miami Seaquarium lawn two days after Lolita’s death on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, on Rickenbacker Causeway before Key Biscayne. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Miami Herald staff writers Douglas Hanks, Alex Harris and Alyssa Johnson contributed to this report.
Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald. He has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Río Piedras.
