Federal officials on Wednesday granted a long-captive killer whale the same status that her wild kin have under the Endangered Species Act. But for now, Lolita, the Florida-held orca, won't be changing addresses as a result. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) determined that Lolita, a killer whale living since 1970 at the Miami Seaquarium, shares the established federal status of the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales of the Pacific Northwest coast. But the change in status doesn't compel the Miami Seaquarium to get her a bigger pool, return her to the wild, or do much of anything else so far, according to NOAA officials.
http://tinyurl.com/k9og9eq
With the popularity of the documentary Blackfish, which focuses on captive orcas at SeaWorld, public debate over keeping the endangered species in captivity has reignited. For years, activists have tried to have Lolita, an orca held captive at the Miami Seaquarium, released. Today, federal officials announced that they are taking the first steps toward having Lolita included in the endangered species listing for Puget Sound orcas. It could be a possible path to having Lolita released to a more natural setting.
http://tinyurl.com/qz6tmlz
