The former veterinarian and trainer of Lolita, the beloved killer whale who died on August 18, said she was not properly cared for and fed, which led to her death.
“We’ve been saying for a long time that they’re going to kill him at the Seaquarium,” said Dr. Jenna Wallace, a former veterinarian at the Miami Seaquarium, where the sea creatures were a main attraction for 53 years, told the Miami Herald.
“We’ve been fighting so hard to get the best treatment and get him out of there, but nobody’s listening,” Wallace said. “It shouldn’t have ended like this. He deserves better.”
Wallace believes Lolita, who is also referred to by her real name Tokitae, or Toki for short, was dehydrated from her reduced diet two years before her death.
The Miami Seaquarium, located in Biscayne Bay, disputes that claim.
There is speculation that inadequate care caused the death of the beloved killer whale Lolita.TNS
“Toki’s diet is rich in nutrients and fits his appetite and the amount of exercise he’s been getting since he retired from the daycare program,” his owner said in a statement to the Miami Herald.
“This was reported by an independent health and welfare assessment by the world’s leading experts in marine mammal care, veterinarians who are highly respected throughout the global animal welfare community.”
After Lolita’s death, the oceanarium explained that the orca, which was due to be released into the Pacific Ocean after more than five decades in captivity, had started showing “signs of serious discomfort” two days earlier, according to its Instagram post.
Lolita was a main attraction at the Miami Seaquarium for 53 years before her retirement in 2022.TNS
“Despite receiving the best possible medical care, he died Friday afternoon of what is believed to be kidney disease,” the post explained.
The veterinarian who treated him, Dr. Tom Reidarson, said the animal’s condition improved until kidney problems appeared.
“I think it’s best to see what the evidence from the necropsy tells us,” he told the outlet.
The 57-year-old orca should be returned to the Pacific Ocean. Sipa USA via AP
“I believe in the truth, not unfair accusations. I am deeply saddened by the loss of Toki. I know him well and we give him the highest standard of care. Now is not the time to throw stones.”
The 57-year-old 700-pound whale retired in 2022, but still lives in a 20-foot-deep, 35-foot-wide, and 80-foot-long tank with a dolphin friend named Li’i.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
