Her name is Lolita, and she is 33 years old. She was kidnapped at the age of 6 from her home in northwestern Washington State, and she has been a prisoner for the last 27 years. She has never had a normal life, and she hasn't seen or heard from her family in nearly 3 decades. Visitation is not allowed. She has never had any children of her own, has never known true love, and has been constrained to the confines of her cell, which is entirely inadequate for her large size.

Lolita is an Orca, commonly known as a Killer Whale, which in itself is quite a misnomer. Orcas are not killers any more than lions, or wolves or sharks. They kill to survive, not for fun. Lolita has not known what it feels like to swim free for 27 years. She has, however demonstrated remarkable calm and gentleness towards those who keep her under lock and key. She has performed daily, with the grace and regality that only one on a higher plane of consciousness could possess. How many of YOU can say you would do the same under the same circumstances? She has been given a life sentence without a trial, and without committing any crime. She has seen her one and only companion die along side her just as he was entering adolescence at the age of 13, confined in the same cell as she. Lolita has far exceded her captor's expectations, yet he insists on the continuing performances which he so desperately needs to keep his pathetic little sea-park alive. He knows that there is NO park without Lolita, so he is hanging on to her with all of his might.

We need to destroy his might, we need to convince him that keeping Lolita a prisoner is WRONG, CRUEL AND IMHUMANE. Not that this man, Mr. Arthur Hertz of Miami, Florida's Seaqurarium would know what being humane was all about. Yes, Mr. Hertz, I am speaking to YOU. I am calling you INHUMANE. I challenge you to disuade me in my beliefs by releasing Lolita to her home in Washington! No creature, no matter how large, or how small should be kept in a prison such as your run down, shabby little "sea-quarium".

All we are asking is that Lolita be given the opportunity to live out her next 50 years in her natural environment. We want her returned to Puget Sound, where she will be rehabilitated and hopefully eventually returned to the freedom she deserves. If she can't be successfully rehabilitated, there are people who will happily watch over her, while allowing her to stay safely enclosed in Puget Sound's pacific waters. At least that way she could still communicate with her family.

If you would like to comment to Mr. Hertz concerning Lolita's situation or her possible return to her home waters, he can be reached at Wometco Enterprises, 3195 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Or you can write to: Arthur Hertz, The Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149