Paulina Rubio to Miami Seaquarium: Release Lonely Orca Before It’s Too Late
Lolita Has Been ‘Swimming in Endless Circles’ for 52 Years, Singer Writes
For Immediate Release:
August 5, 2022
Contact:
Robin Goist 202-483-7382
Monday marks the 52nd anniversary of the orca Lolita’s abduction from her ocean home, so singer Paulina Rubio sent a letter today to Eduardo Albor, the CEO of The Dolphin Company—which is the Miami Seaquarium’s new owner—urging the orca’s release to a coastal sanctuary. The star’s letter follows a whistleblower report from earlier this year detailing how Lolita was dangerously ill at the park. Although she’s now on the mend, she may not survive any future illnesses.
“The global calls to release Lolita from the world’s smallest and oldest orca tank are stronger now than ever,” writes Rubio. “Please don’t wait until it’s too late to give her the life she deserves. There is still time for Lolita to experience the ocean’s currents, swim greater distances and dive deeper, and live as an orca should.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Rubio’s letter to Albor follows.
August 5, 2022
Eduardo Albor, CEO
The Dolphin Company
Dear Mr. Albor:
Monday, August 8, will mark the 52nd anniversary of Lolita the orca’s capture, when she was violently torn away from her family and ocean home off the coast of Washington. She’s been swimming in endless circles ever since. As the new owner of the Miami Seaquarium, you have the power to bring her relief and a second chance at life in a seaside sanctuary.
The global calls to release Lolita from the world’s smallest and oldest orca tank are stronger now than ever, as the Seaquarium’s failure to provide animals with even the bare minimum necessary for their well-being and survival has come to light. I was horrified to learn of the damning inspection report that revealed a slew of animal welfare violations at the facility, including holding incompatible dolphins together who ended up dying from trauma, forcing Lolita to continue performing tricks that had likely injured her jaw, and repeatedly acting against its own veterinarians’ instructions.
When a whistleblower revealed that Lolita was deathly sick at the park earlier this year, the public rallied to support her. In what we can only imagine was a result of her strength and hope for a better future, a recent independent veterinary evaluation has shown that Lolita is on the mend. Please, don’t wait until it’s too late to give her the life she deserves. There is still time for Lolita to experience the ocean’s currents, swim greater distances and dive deeper, and live as an orca should, all while receiving food and veterinary care as part of the rehabilitation process.
You’ve already retired Lolita from public performances. Now, I’m asking you to please take the next step by allowing her to live out her remaining years in an ocean home.
Sincerely yours,
Paulina Rubio
