BY ALEXANDRIA BORDAS
abordas@miamiherald.com

AUGUST 08, 2017 8:01 PM

The latest in a years-long string of protests at Miami Seaquarium took place Tuesday, which happened to be the 47th anniversary of the capture of Lolita, a killer whale that has long been at the center of an international animal rights campaign.

Only about 30 activists showed up this time, managing to hang in for nearly two hours under the blistering sun. Though few in number, some had come a long way to make their case: Free Lolita.

This is a day for everyone around the world to stand up against marine mammal captivity. The abuse and exploitation of these sentient beings has no place in the 21st century.

On May 7th, 2016, protests and educational events will be held all over the world in front of marine mammal parks and aquariums. If the park is exploiting marine mammals for entertainment and profit then we want people out front creating noise and awareness. The only way to close their doors for good is to get the general public to stop buying tickets. We need your voice, your posters, and your dedication to seeing an end to the captivity industry.

Today more than 200 hundred activists and concerned citizens came out to the Miami SaeQuarium to demonstrate against marine mammal captivity. Lolita (aka Tokitae) has been confined to a small tank at the Miami SeaQuarium for almost 44 years. Lolita, along with other marine mammals like dolphins and sea lions are forced to perform tricks throughout the day and live out miserable lives of imprisonment.

Around the country and the world similar demonstrations were taking place at marine parks and aquariums as part of Empty The Tanks Worldwide. Empty the Tanks Worldwide was created when Rachel Carbary, a Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Cove Guardian, who has traveled to Taiji, Japan to stand in opposition to the Taiji Dolphin Drive Hunt for the past two dolphin hunting seasons, had an idea to galvanize people into a worldwide event focused on ending marine mammal captivity.

Lolita confined to a tiny tank at the Miami SeaQuarium (Photo Credit – Chris Lagergren)

This is the 2nd annual Empty the Tanks protest. This is a day for everyone around the world to stand up against marine mammal captivity. The abuse and exploitation of these sentient beings has no place in the 21st century.

On May 24th, protests and educational events will be held all over world in front of marine mammal parks and aquariums. If the park is exploiting marine mammals for entertainment and profit then we want people out front creating noise and awareness. The only way to close their doors for good is to get the general public to stop buying tickets. We need your voice, your posters, and your dedication to seeing an end to the captivity industry.

This is a huge step in the right direction!

The government has opened up their initial ruling to change the ESA language so that Lolita would become protected under the Endangered Species Act like the rest of her family. NMFS is asking for public comments over the next 2 months, let’s give it to them because you know the other side will be submitting their arguments why this not a good idea!

This is her last hope!! Please invite your friends to this event! https://www.facebook.com/events/1442245159341081/

1,800+ comments last time of which 13 were deemed useful by NMFS and enough for the Government to propose removing the captive restriction for Lolita! They’ve opened this up to Scientific Community, the Commercial industry (aka the Captivity Industry) and Us!