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Lolita the Orca was taken from the Pacific Ocean in 1970 and has spent most of her life in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium. Many people think she is around 57 years old, the oldest orca in captivity.
There is hope for Lolita to return to her home waters. A plan to send her back home was announced by the Miami Seaquarium, the Florida non-profit organization Friends of Lolita, and Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, an American football team.
Orcas like Lolita, also known as Tokitae, spend several months of the year in Puget Sound in Washington state. The orcas from that area are called southern resident orcas. They were added to the endangered species list in 2005.
The number of southern resident orcas has decreased because many were captured for aquariums like the Miami Seaquarium. In recent years, animal rights groups have asked the park to send Lolita to her home in Puget Sound. Groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have taken the Miami Seaquarium to court because of Lolita’s captivity.
If Lolita is returned to her home waters, she will be able to live the rest of her life in the place she was born. Hopefully, she will be happy after spending more than 50 years in captivity. The Miami Seaquarium has not yet commented on the plan.
Vocabulary
- Orca – a large black and white sea mammal, also known as a killer whale
- Pacific Ocean – the largest ocean on Earth, located between Asia and North and South America
- Captivity – the situation in which a person or animal is kept somewhere and is not allowed to leave; confinement; imprisonment
- Hope – something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future
- Waters – the part of a sea around the coast of a country; a large area of water, especially that belongs to a country
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Non-profit organization (NPO) – a group or company that does not earn a profit; often a charity that tries to help people
- Also known as (AKA) – a phrase used to introduce an alternative name; used for showing someone has another name
- Endangered – close to extinction; animals or plants that may soon not exist/live because there are very few alive now
- Species – a set of animals or plants that have similar characteristics/qualities to each other; type of animal or plant
- Decrease – to go down; to become less; become smaller
- Capture – to grab, trap, or take something, especially something that doesn’t want to go with you; to take something into your possession, especially by force
- Aquarium – a place where aquatic/water animals and plants are kept for display and study
- Animal rights group – a group or organization that wants to protect animals
- Take someone to court – to bring a legal case against someone and ask a judge to make a decision; to take legal action against someone; to sue
- Comment – to express an opinion or thought about something; to say something
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it is ethical to keep animals like orcas in captivity for human entertainment? Why or why not?
- In your opinion, what is the role of aquariums and marine parks in educating the public about marine life?
- Should the Miami Seaquarium release Lolita back to her home waters? Why or why not? Could it be dangerous for her to go back into nature?
Original Story
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