Agreement in place to return Lolita the orca to the Pacific
By FREIDA FRISARO
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — An plan is in place to return Lolita, an orca that has lived at the Miami Seaquarium for more than 50 years, to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest. Moving the 57-year-old, 5,000-pound orca could take six to nine months and cost $12 million to $15 million. Jim Irsay is a philanthropist and owner of the Indianapolis Colts. He said Thursday that he’s excited to be a part of Lolita’s journey. Irsay is partnering with Eduardo Albor, who heads the company that owns the Seaquarium, and the nonprofit Friends of Lolita. The orca currently lives in a tank measuring 80 feet by 35 feet.
