Remembering Lolita: Celebrities and Activists Mourn the Loss of the Captive Orca

After spending more than five decades imprisoned at the Miami Seaquarium in the smallest, bleakest orca tank in the world, deprived of any semblance of a natural life, the long-suffering orca Lolita has passed away. Her death follows years of PETA protests, lawsuits, an endangered species designation, and the recent announcement that—thanks to philanthropist and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay—plans were finally being made to move her to a sea sanctuary.

Celebrities from around the world fought for her freedom and have taken to social media to express their heartbreak over her passing as well as their frustration that other orcas, including Corky at SeaWorld, are still imprisoned:

Kate del Castillo

Lala Kent

Marjorie de Sousa

Madison Monroe

Chad Johnson

Christopher von Uckermann

Patty Lopez de la Cerda

María Celeste

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram

Doug Benson

Raiza Wilson

Laurie Holden

Vlada Haggerty

Jenny Mollen

PETA urges everyone to honor Lolita’s memory by never visiting marine parks and is calling on the Miami Seaquarium to continue with plans to send Li’i, the dolphin who was Lolita’s tankmate, to a sea sanctuary, along with all the other dolphins there, before the death toll rises.

SeaWorld must learn from this tragedy and relinquish the orca Corky, who has been imprisoned in tiny tanks for nearly 54 years, before she shares Lolita’s fate: