Res No 221-17-15022RESOLUTION 221-17-15022
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami,
Florida, urging Parques Reunidos Servicios Centrales, S.A., the owner and
operator of Miami Seaquarium, to relocate the orca named Lolita to a sea pen in
the Pacific Northwest.
Whereas, orcas, also known as killer whales, are traditionally important to the Lummi
Nation, a Native American tribe in western Washington state; and
Whereas, the orca, "Lolita," was captured from Penn Cove, Puget Sound, Washington on
August 8, 1970 and sold to Miami Seaquarium for $20,000 in 2014. Miami Seaquarium was sold to
Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary ofParques Reunidos Servicios Centrales S.A.; and
Whereas, Lolita is now 20 feet in length, weighs 8,000 pounds, and has lived for over four
decades in a concrete tank measuring only 80 feet across at its widest point -just four times her body
length -and only 20 feet in depth at its deepest point; and
Whereas, during Hurricane Irma, Lolita was exposed to potential hurricane-force winds. If
Hurricane Irma had traveled its forecasted path along the eastern Florida coast, it could have led to
Lolita's injury; and
Whereas, Parques Reunidos Servicios Centrales, S.A. should work with a group of
experienced experts to transport, rehabilitate, and retire Lolita safely to Eastsound, Orcas Island in
Washington state for rehabilitation in a sea pen in her natural environment;
Whereas, on August 1, 2017, the Lummi Nation passed the following motion regarding
Lolita, also known as Tokitae: "The Lummi Nation honors our connection to the Killer Whale (qw'e
lh' 01 me chen) as a culturally significant species and supports the work of the Lummi Nation's
Sovereignty and Treaty Protection Office in its efforts to bring the Killer Whale Tokitae home to her
family as soon as possible"; and
Whereas, the future health, safety, and welfare of the endangered orca Lolita is a matter of
great concern to the City of South Miami and to all who care about species whose populations are
threatened and endangered in some areas and their humane treatment.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami hereby urge Parques
Reunidos Servicios Centrales, S.A. to retire Lolita, from her small tank at Miami Seaquarium, and
move her to a sea pen in the Pacific Northwest as soon as possible; and direct the City Clerk to
transmit a copy of this Resolution to all county mayors in the State of Florida and to the Florida
League of Cities.
Section 2. Severability. If any section clause, sentence, or phrase of this resolution is for any
reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the holding shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution.
Section 3. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
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Res. No. 221-17-15022
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21 s tday of November , 2017.
COMMISSION VOTE: 5-0
Mayor Stoddard: Yea
Vice Mayor Welsh: Yea
Commissioner Harris: Yea
Commissioner Edmond: Yea
Commissioner Liebman: Yea
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