After years of campaigning for her freedom, we are thrilled to share some truly wonderful news: Lolita the world’s loneliest orca is going home! An agreement has been reached to bring the famous orca, who has been held at Miami Seaquarium for over 50 years, back to her native waters off the coast of Washington State. 

CEO of The Dolphin Company Eduardo Albor, businessman and environmentalist Pritam Singh, and philanthropist and billionaire owner of the Indianapolis Colts Jim Irsay held a joint press conference on March 30 where they announced a “binding, legal agreement” to bring Lolita — also known as Tokitae — home to the waters she was stolen from in 1970. 

The announcement follows years of campaigning by In Defense of Animals and many other activists and organizations. If you signed one of our many alerts or made calls on her behalf, thank you! 

Albor referred to Toki as “a bridge over a river, called ‘Tolerance,’” a bridge that will connect different cultures, a bridge to a new way of understanding how animals like Toki deserve to be treated.  

Toki’s health had been rapidly declining. Now her veterinary team has deemed her healthy enough to make the journey home. The coalition still has much hard work ahead of it. Its members need to find a suitable site and construct a sea pen for Toki, apply for government permits, and safeguard Toki’s health until that process is completed.  It could take as little as 6 to 9 months, or as long as 24. 

After decades of advocacy by various groups and independent activists to free Lolita from the Miami Seaquarium, this historic agreement to bring her home is a cause for celebration and gratitude.

In Defense of Animals has been calling for Toki to be returned home for years. In 2016, we shamed Miami Seaquarium on our list of the 10 Worst Tanks list for dolphins and whales. Toki was violently taken from her family in Penn Cove, Washington, and transported to Florida's Miami Seaquarium when she was just 4 years old. For 50 years, Toki has lived crammed into the smallest orca performance tank in North America — barely 14 feet longer than her body. She has been kept in isolation since 1980, when her companion, Hugo, reportedly killed himself by repeatedly ramming his head against the tank walls. 

Dr. Suzanne McAllister, a psychologist and the co-creator of The Pauw Project, who helped to start our Sustainable Activism campaign, has been a key Toki advocate. Through our Animal Activist Support Line, she teamed up with Dr. Paula Powers. Together they have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to advocate for Toki’s return. Activism truly does make a difference and we are thrilled to have brought together two key Toki activists.

We congratulate all those who have made this groundbreaking decision possible, including thousands of In Defense of Animals supporters and people all over the globe who have spent years protesting, writing letters, and educating the public about the desperate need for Toki to go home.

Although this positive statement has been made, we still need your urgent support to see Toki returned to her home. As the permitting and licensing agencies have not signed off on it yet, her going home depends on the agencies' agreement to do so (and her continued health). Additionally, SeaWorld is mounting a massive (and often covert) campaign to discredit The Dolphin Company and everyone else involved in getting Toki freed in a bid to try to stop her happily ever after. We need to show the government agencies and all concerned that there is overwhelming public support to free Toki!

What You Can Do:

Now it’s time for the final push to free Toki. Please flood the people below with positive posts of praise and support! 

The Dolphin Co./MSQ/Mr. Albor
Twitter: @MiamiSeaquarium @eduardoalbor @TheDolphinCo_
Instagram: @miamiseaquarium_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiamiSeaquarium

The Whale Sanctuary Project
Twitter: @Whale_Sanctuary
Instagram: @whalesanctuaryproject
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whalesanctuaryproject

Jim Irsay/Indianapolis Colts
Twitter: @JimIrsay @Colts 
Instagram: @colts

You can follow developments on Orca Network and Toki’s Way Home Facebook page.

Discover our ongoing work to defend cetaceans.

In Defense of Animals fully expects and strongly urges all people involved in this campaign to act responsibly and lawfully and to respect the personal interests and privacy rights and concerns of any individuals who may be affected by, or become the subject of, your protests or related efforts.