Tilikum, an orca of SeaWorld Orlando that had killed its trainer, has died

SeaWorld Orlando has confirmed that Tilikum, one of its orca, has died presumably from a persistent bacterial infection. It has killed a trainer in 2010 during one of its performances. It had grabbed its trainer in the course of a "Dine with Shamu" show and pulled her into the pool by her ponytail.
Tilikim was estimated to be 36 years old and had sired 14 calves in the nearly 25 years he was at SeaWorld Orlando.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 7 January 2017.

Tilikum was profiled in the documentary "Blackfish" - it helped to sway popular opinion against keeping killer whales in captivity at SeaWorld parks. Criticism over keeping orcas captive grew after the orca grabbed its trainer by her ponytail and dragged into the pool.
Tilikum was also involved in the deaths of two other people in the 1990s apart from its trainer in 2010.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Orca whale ‘Lolita’ of Miami Seaquarium to get protection as endangered species

#orcawhale #MiamiSeaquarium #FreeLolita ‘Lolita’, an Orca whale that has been performing for decades in the Miami Seaquarium should get the same protection as a small population of endangered orcas that spend time in Washington state waters. This has been announced by the federal government as reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 6 February 2015.
‘Lolita’ has been at the facility since 1970. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service feels that the inclusion in the endangered listing for southern resident killer whales will not have any effect on the animal's stay at the Florida facility.
As has been clarified by Will Stelle, regional administrator for the Fisheries Service's West Coast region - it is not a decision to free Lolita, neither does it have any effect on the conditions of the orca's captivity or care at this time. Will Stelle has added that the agency is more focused on doing what it can to recover the wild population of Puget Sound orcas – its population at present is just 78.
Incidentally, Lolita was 4 or 6 years old when she was legally rounded up in 1970 and subsequently sent to the Miami facility.
The federal government had declared the protected Puget Sound orcas as endangered species in 2005 – that decision was not applicable to captive animals.
The decision to include it now is based on a 2013 petition of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation PETA and others for inclusion of Lolita and the Fisheries Service have done so now.