After Decades of Captivity, Lolita the Killer Whale is One Step Closer to Returning to Her Natural Habitat.

After decades of performing at the Miami Seaquarium, the killer whale known as Lolita appears to be one step closer to returning to its natural habitat of the Pacific Northwest. On Thursday, officials from various parties announced a “binding agreement” to take Lolita, also known as Tokitae or Toki, to its “home waters.”

The agreement was made by an unlikely coalition involving the theme park’s owner, an animal rights group, and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay. “I’m excited to be a part of Lolita’s journey to freedom,” Irsay said. “And my only mission is to help this whale get free.”

The plans are to return Lolita to her home waters, where a nearly century-old, endangered killer whale believed to be her mother still swims. The Miami Seaquarium said in a statement Thursday that Lolita will receive the highest quality care as the team works to make relocation possible in the next 18 to 24 months.

The agreement is a major milestone in the long-running dispute over where Lolita belongs. Animal rights activists have been advocating for her release for years, and the Miami Seaquarium has been working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a plan for her relocation.

The agreement is a major victory for animal rights activists and a long-awaited homecoming for Lolita. “I know Lolita wants to get to free waters,” Irsay said.