After 57 Years in Captivity, Lolita the Orca May Soon Return to Her Native Waters in the Pacific Northwest

After more than five decades in captivity, Lolita the orca may soon be returned to her native waters in the Pacific Northwest. On Thursday, officials announced a plan to transfer the 5,000-pound killer whale, who is best known by her stage name, Lolita, back to her natural habitat.

The plan to return Lolita to her home waters was announced at a news conference held by the Miami Seaquarium, Friends of Lolita, and philanthropist and owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts Jim Irsay. The announcement comes in response to growing pressure from animal rights activists who have long called for Lolita’s release from the aquarium, where she is confined to a tank that reaches a maximum depth of about 20 feet.

Lolita, also known as Tokitae, was captured in the Pacific Ocean in 1970 when she was around four years old. She has since been held at the Miami Seaquarium, where she was once a star performer in exhibition shows. Now 57, Lolita retired from shows last spring.

The plan to return Lolita to her native waters is still in its early stages. The Miami Seaquarium, Friends of Lolita, and Jim Irsay are currently working to secure funding for the project and to develop a plan for the orca’s safe transport and release. If all goes according to plan, Lolita will soon be able to live out the rest of her days in her natural habitat.