#captive orca

sigh he was so gorgeous

He's been popping up on my fyp on Pinterest lately and he just looks so amazing in all of his photos. Everytime I see him I get so excited.

He's probably my favorite orca from the Chimelong pod besides Tyson.

Tokitae , also known as Lolita, has passed away at the age of 57. Captured at the age of 4, she was the second eldest orca in captivity at Miami Seaquarium. 

In March 2023 it was announced that she was to be returned to the waters of her birth. She was to reside in a semi - wild sea pen in the Salish Sea for the rest of her life. 

Tragically it was announced on August 18 that Tokitae had passed away at the Seaquarium due to renal failure after exhibiting sights of distress for 2 days. 

Statistics:

Currently there are 54 orcas in captivity worldwide, 29 of whom were captive-born. There are 17 orcas in the SeaWorld parks.

At least 176 orcas have died in captivity across the world, and 30 orca calves have either been miscarried or stillborn.

In the wild, male orcas can live for 40 to 60 years and females 80 to 90. 

Sources: Wikipedia, The New York Times and NBC.

ADDENDUM

Another tradgedy 43 years earlier - Tokitae’s cellmate

In 1968 Hugo was the first orca at Miami Seaquarium.

When Tokitae arrived he had been in a tank on his own for 2 years.

They shared the tank for 10 years until Hugo died of a brain aneurysm in 1980. It was caused by repeatedly and violently ramming his head into the sides of his tank.

He was 15 years old.

Tokitae spent the rest of her life alone in the tank or with a few dolphins for company.

Shared from Russian Orca’s Facebook page;

Eng/Рус

On the 18-19 of January a group of experts visited the “whale jail” in Srednaja bay of Primorsky kray for the inspection. The group included killer whale scientists from FEROP. We used the inspection data to make a photo identification catalog of 11 killer whales kept in Srednaja bay. They are Alexandra, Kirill, Vitas, Vasilievna, Harja, Leha, Forest, Gaika, Zina, Zoya and Tihon. Killer whales could be identified by the individual shapes of their eye patches and saddle patches that don’t change from year to year. Eye patches could be used for identification from birth. Saddle patches usually become visible in the second or third year. Besides the eye patch and saddle, the dorsal fin shape, marks on the dorsal fin’s trailing edge, and scars on the body are also used for identification. Scars can stay visible for many years.  You can download the identification photos here

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