Lolita the Orca: who is oldest killer whale kept in captivity, when will she be set free - lifespan explained

The oldest whale to be held in captivity is to be finally set free after more than five “miserable” decades. Lolita the orca, or killer whale, is now almost 60-years-old and has spent most of her life performing at a visitor attraction in the United States. But, she was stopped from performing after becoming ill and it was revealed on Thursday (30 March) that she will be returned to the wild.

The decision was made by a group of people, including the head of the firm who owns the seaquarium, who was inspired by his daughter to decide to free Lolita so she can enjoy the rest of her life swimming freely.

It’s expected that Lolita will be moved from Miami Seaquarium, Florida, to the Pacific Ocean in the coming months. So, just who is Lolita the killer whale and what else do we know about her release? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Lolita the killer whale?

Lolita was taken to Miami Seaquarium in 1970 when she was just four-years-old. She is now aged 57 and weighs 2,267-kilograms. She was captured in Penn Cove off the coast of Washington in 1970 and was initially called Tokitae or Toki.

During the 1960s and 1970s, dozens of Pacific North West whales were caught for display in marine theme parks. Over the past 53 years, Lolita has performed to millions of people at the visitor attraction. Now, the time has come for her to go back to her home waters. The Dolphin Company, who took ownership of the seaquarium in 2021 and last year announced it would no longer stage shows with Lolita, under an agreement with federal regulators.

When will Lolita be returned to the wild?

A coalition of a theme park owner, animal rights group and an American football team owner announced on Thursday that a plan is in place to return Lolita to her home waters in the next six to nine months.

Jim Irsay, owner of NFL team Indianapolis Colts, is partnering with Eduardo Albor, who heads the Dolphin Company, and the non-profit Friends of Lolita, co-founded by environmentalist Pritam Singh, to move Lolita from her marine park tank that measures 80 feet by 35 feet, or 24 metres by 11 metres, and is 20 feet, or six metres, deep.

Irsay said many obstacles lie ahead now, including securing government permits and working out every detail of the move, but added that the deal was the first step toward freedom for Lolita.

Albor also announced on Thursday (30 March) that his company was in the process of acquiring the Seaquarium, where he had taken his daughter - and it was her reaction to seeing Lolita that led him to back the move for her release.

He said his daughter became upset while watching Lolita’s show, even though people in the audience were clearly enjoying it. He said he was “touched” when his daughter told him “this place is too small for Lolita” and then made him promise to help the orca if his company bought the park. He added: “It has always been our commitment at the Dolphin Company that we place the highest priority on the well-being of the animals above all else.”

The cost to move Lolita could cost up to $20 million(£16 million), the group said. The killer whale’s caretakers at the seaquarium are already preparing for her release. Isray said the plan is to transport Lolita by plane to Pacific waters off Washington state, where she will initially swim inside a large net while trainers and veterinarians teach her how to catch fish. She will be under 24-hour care until she acclimates to her new surroundings.

Isray said: “I’m excited to be a part of Lolita’s journey to freedom. I know Lolita wants to get to free waters”. He added that he became part of the mission because “the story of Lolita is near and dear” to his heart.

How have people responded to Lolita’s release?

The news of Lolita’s release has been welcomed by many. Miami-Dade County mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, described the agreement as historic, and said: “So many have hoped and prayed for this result for many, many years.”

The decision has also been welcomed by animal rights activists, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who have long fought for Lolita to spend her final years back home in a controlled setting. PETA Foundation Vice President and General Counsel for Animal Law Jared Goodman said in a statement: "If Lolita is finally returned to her home waters, there will be cheers from around the world, including from PETA, which has pursued several lawsuits on Lolita’s behalf and battered the Seaquarium with protests demanding her freedom for years.

“If the Seaquarium agrees to move her, it’ll offer her long-awaited relief after five miserable decades in a cramped tank and send a clear signal to other parks that the days of confining highly intelligent, far-ranging marine mammals to dismal prisons are done and dusted."

Activists, who call the Seaquarium an “abusement park”, often protest along the road that runs it in protest against animals being kept there. PETA said it does not want Lolita to also end up being fatally injured. Her partner, Hugo, died in 1980 from a brain aneurysm after he rammed his head repeatedly into the walls of the tank where he was being kept.

Those who capture whales responded to PETA’s views by saying that there were many orcas in the sea and some could be sustainably caught.

What is Lolita’s expected lifespan?

Orca whales are expected to live anywhere between 50 and 90 years, according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This lifespan is usually attributed to creatures who have always lived in the wild, however. It’s not known how Lolita’s life of captivity could impact her life expectancy, but she is already 57-years-old - meaning she has already lived seven years longer than the average lifespan of a female killer whale, according to NOAA.

The world’s oldest killer whale, Granny, lived to be over 100-years-old. She was declared missing and presumed dead in 2017.