Day of protest for Lolita, a captured whale

Orca Network is sponsoring a special protest May 15 in Coupeville on Whidbey Island, to raise awareness of Lolita, an L pod whale who was captured in Penn Cove in August 1970 and is the sole survivor of all Southern Resident orcas captured for the marine park industry.

The Lolita Come Home Campaign is a major concern of Orca Network.

Lolita, first called Tokitae, is the last surviving orca of 45 members of the Southern Resident community that were captured and delivered for display in marine parks between 1965 and 1973. At least 13 others were killed during captures.

A young adult just over 40 years old, Lolita has been maintained at a Miami marine park since 1970. Only Corky at Sea World in San Diego, captured in 1969, has been in captivity longer.

Orca Network is inviting paddlers for a kayak (or canoe or rowboat) protest on Penn Cove at the capture site. Participants are encouraged to park at the DNR beach access west of the Captain Whidbey Inn on Madrona Way, and launch about 5 p.m., when the tide is coming up. The idea is to paddle out to the actual scene of the capture, between the Captain Whidbey and the Penn Cove shellfish dock, with a banner or two on or between kayaks.

Signs, flags, bumper stickers, inflatable orcas, etc. can also be used, and if you don’t have a kayak, canoes or small boats are fine.

Depending on weather, time and tides, the group may also paddle to the Coupeville wharf, where an educational exhibit about the Penn Cove orca capture is displayed.

For information e-mail to Howard@orcanetwork.org.