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Lolita the orca to be freed to ‘home waters’ after 50+ years in captivity
Coast Salish Lummi Nation, Lolita the orca, the second-oldest orca in captivity, will be returned to her home waters in Puget Sound.The Miami Seaquarium, where Lolita has lived for 53 years, announced the planned relocation at a Thursday press conference along with parent The Dolphin Company, Florida non-profit Friends of Lolita and philanthropist Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts and main donor for the relocation.Miami-Dade Mayor Levine Cava was also in attendance and called the agreement “historic” and a great day for the city, the Miami Herald reported. Read more: ‘Baby boom’: Banner year for orcas, whales in B.C.’s Salish Sea The relocation is expected to take six to nine months and will cost between US$15 to $20 million.