Tokitae the killer whale dies, 53 yrs in captivity

The bible paraphrases that everything on this planet is for human entertainment.

I saw this in another article I think maybe yesterday. The fricked up thing about this (besides the 53 years in captivity) is they were planning on releasing her back into the wild in like a week or 2. Damn!

I'll see if I can find the other article that mentioned this.

ETA - I just saw it mentioned it in the briefing of the article.

ETA2 - I was waaayy off on my week or 2

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In March, the owners of the Miami Seaquarium announced a “formal and binding agreement” with a group called the Friends of Lolita to begin the process of returning Tokitae to Puget Sound. A news release indicated that the joint effort is “working toward and hope the relocation will be possible in the next 18 to 24 months”.

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I saw this in another article I think maybe yesterday. The fricked up thing about this (besides the 53 years in captivity) is they were planning on releasing her back into the wild in like a week or 2. Damn!

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Probably cause they knew she was dying. Better publicity.

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The bible paraphrases that everything on this planet is for human entertainment

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And that's a crock of shite.

Jim Irsay, Colts Owner, had made this a personal mission to free her. He had pledged $20 million towards the effort and figured out how to put a water tank in a plane and fly her home. Construction of the plane had already begun I believe.

ETA: Respect to Irsay for trying.

Then go to the ocean and whale watch

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Then go to the ocean and whale watch

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I have 3xs. It's awesome.

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It’s just a got dam fish

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Negative

I wonder how long she would have made it in the wild if she had been returned, given decent enough health? They figure she was three years old when captured, and she was in captivity for 53 years. A lot of survival is imprinted/genetic and a lot is learned. I'm sure she learned a great deal in those three years, but 53 years in captivity certainly stunted, and likely overrode those early years. She very well could have died a miserable, albeit natural, death in the wild, even with continued human monitoring.

I’m always torn on these issues.

On one hand, of course I want all bad arse animals to stay in the wild and thrive with free roam like nature intended.

But, I’m also not against a few being in captivity, so long as that means we can raise awareness and allow wildlife experts to learn more about them and benefit species as a whole.