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Featured article - Lolita (Tokitae)
On August 8, 1970, around 80 orcas from the Southern Resident population were captured as part of the infamous Penn Cove captures. Out of the captured orcas 7 are taken and sold to marine parks.
Former diver John Crowe, who appears in the documentary Blackfish, was part of the capture team at the time. He told of how, when the captures were over, there were several dead orcas in the nets. He and two other crew members were then ordered to cut the orcas open, fill their bellies with rocks, tie anchors to their tails and sink them.
When the bodies of some of the orcas washed ashore some months later, there was a huge public outcry of people concerned with the welfare of the animals as well as the impact of captures on wild orcas.
Featured interview - Dr. Cheryl Laite
Dr. Cheryl Laite, known as The Maverick Vet, shares a transformative experience on The Wildlife Guardians podcast. She recounts her time with Sudan, the last Northern White Rhino, just before the species became extinct. This encounter changed her perspective on wildlife conservation and life itself.
Cheryl's encounter with Sudan led her to engage in various wildlife rescue and conservation projects, including assisting at the Zululand Rhino Orphanage in Africa and aiding in Australia's bushfire crisis. Her dedication even involves extreme actions like skydiving for conservation fundraising. Hosted by Jeff Harrison and Erica Salvemini, this emotionally charged episode of The Wildlife Guardians delves into Cheryl's inspiring journey.
Featured blog - Rest In Peace Tokitae
Tokitae, also known as Lolita or Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, was a female orca who spent more than 50 years in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium. She was captured from her family in the Salish Sea in 1970, when she was about four years old, and sold to the aquarium for $6,000. She was also the subject of a long and passionate campaign by activists, scientists, and Native Americans to free her from her small and barren tank and return her to her home waters.
On Friday, August 18, 2023, Tokitae passed away from what is believed to be a renal condition. She was estimated to be 57 years old, making her the second-oldest orca in captivity
In the news
This weeks events
- 6 - 10 Nov: 77th CITES Standing Committee
- WikiAnimal Hub Events Calendar
Did you know?
- The wandering albatross can fly 1000 km (620 miles) in a day.
- The emperor penguin can dive to depths up to 565 m (1,854 ft).
- The bar-tailed godwit migrates nearly 15,000 km (9,320 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand without stopping.
- The fastest recorded speed of any bird is 76 km/h (47 mph) by the common swift.
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