As if the Gulf oil spill isn’t horrific enough already, this week I learned that the oil could reach Miami’s Seaquarium within 30 days.
The water in the marine mammal tanks there comes from the Biscayne Bay. They have what’s known as an open water system.
When the oil reaches Miami, it could contaminate and kill the whales and dolphins at the Seaquarium.
Lolita the orca is among the animals there that is threatened by this catastrophe. Originally named Tokitae, she has lived in a disgustingly small pool for 40 years, performing tricks for food.
From the International Marine Mammal Project’s press release:
“Captured on August 8, 1970, from Penn Cove, Washington state, and sent down to Florida to perform tricks for tourists, Lolita has resided in what is the smallest and oldest orca tank in the United States. The tank is merely one-and-a-half-times her size, has garnered numerous safety violations, and does not meet US Department of Agriculture regulations.”
It is time for the Miami Seaquarium to relinquish ownership and return this native Northwesterner to her home waters. The Orca Network has assured me that there is a viable plan and funding to do this. There are always risks, but consider the alternative.
Tokitae has already survived longer than captive orcas usually do. She still has family in our area, including a mother or aunt who is around 90 years old.
40 years is enough. It’s 40 years too long for a naturally wild animal to be doing back flips for food in a lonely, glorified swimming pool.
That would be like being locked in your bathroom your entire life, dancing on command so that someone opens the door, throws in a steak, and pats you on the head once in awhile.
I’m not against aquariums in general, but unless a marine mammal is kept there because it can’t survive in the wild, creatures of such intelligence shouldn’t be there.
I don’t doubt that there are trainers and staff at the Seaquarium who love Tokitae. But with this environmental threat looming, the 40th anniversary of her capture coming up, and her age, there’s never been a better time to bring her home.
Feel free to contact the Miami Seaquarium to ask for Tokitae’s (Lolita’s) release: http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/contact/contact.asp
For the full press release, other articles, and detailed information on Tokitae’s situation, please visit http://www.orcanetwork.org/news/oilhitslolita.html#ric.
Thank you!
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Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant? -Thoreau
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Truth, Justice, and All-American Allergen-Free Apple Pie 
Opponents of captivity for marine mammals have called for Lolita’s retirement and release from her pool at MSQ for years. Captured on August 8, 1970, from Penn Cove, Washington state and sent down to Florida to perform tricks for tourists, Lolita has resided in what is the smallest and oldest orca tank in the United States. The tank is merely one-and-a-half-times her size, has garnered numerous safety violations, and does not meet USDA/APHIS Regulations. Caring people have been trying to help Lolita for decades – writing letters, protesting, raising awareness – but Lolita’s captors are indifferent and uncaring, and they hide behind loopholes in the laws designed to protect our rare and valuable wild animals. Lolita, who is affectionately known as “Toki” (short for her true name, Tokitae – which means ‘shimmering water’ in Chinook), was captured right before implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act which now protects the rest of her family as endangered species. Lolita’s family, including her mother, now believed to be 82 years old, still swim freely in the open waters where Lolita was captured. Because she was caught ‘pre-act’, the powers-that-be excluded her from the status of endangered. It’s time to return Lolita home, where her family awaits.
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Here is the a full letter you can cut and paste to email, and also call, all contact information to send this to is included:
(Letter by John Keilty)
As oil plumes from the BP spill make their way toward the Miami coast, we are just a few weeks away from a complete DISASTER. The US Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service and Miami Seaquarium are scrambling to come up with a plan for how to protect the marine life and orca Lolita at the aging marine mammal park. Even if a plan is developed, there will be no time to implement it and keep the animals safe at this location.
Please take a few minutes to cut, paste and email the following letter to as many government officials, news and media outlets and animal welfare organizations as you can. A list of those who should be contacted follows the letter. This list will be expanding so if you have any suggestions for who should be made aware of this crisis, please let me know, either by leaving a comment below or by email: jkielty2010@yahoo.com. I will be updating the list continually throughout the coming days. It will get quite large but I will do everything I can to make the process as easy as possible! Thank you to ALL my friends who have helped putting this together, and to everyone who has participated in the recent e-mail and telephone campaigns. We ARE making a difference for Lolita! Thank you!
Please remember to sign your name (and location) and feel free to edit, personalize & share any way you see fit. And, if you can, please call and/or write as many of these organizations as you can! Thank you for your support!
IMMINENT THREAT OF BP SPILL CONTAMINATION AT MIAMI SEAQUARIUM PUTS CAPTIVE ORCA LOLITA AND MARINE MAMMALS AT RISK
To whom this may concern:
The Gulf oil spill caused by oil giant BP is now threatening captive marine mammals, including the orca Lolita, in the Miami Seaquarium of Florida.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 61- 80% chance that the oil will hit the Miami area in August, just weeks away, and I am deeply concerned the welfare of Miami Seaquarium’s wildlife is in jeopardy. In addition to killer whale (orca) Lolita, the lives of 30 dolphins, 15 seals and sea lions, dozens of reptiles/fish, sea turtles, and at least eight manatees are in peril. This marine mammal park relic uses an open water system, which feeds directly from Biscayne Bay filling its numerous performing animal tanks, including that of Lolita. In addition to the oil, the chemical dispersant used to break up the oil, which is very toxic to animal life, will be included in the toxic mix approaching Miami waters. Miami Seaquarium is not prepared to deal with this pending disaster.
Andrew Hertz, General Manager of Miami Seaquarium (MSQ), a Wometco Enterprises subsidiary, has recently stated his intention to file a $3 to $5 million dollar claim against BP citing his requirement to upgrade the marine park’s filtration system. By this action, the Hertz family has admittedly demonstrated that they are not prepared, equipped or otherwise capable of carrying out a disaster contingency plan (Plan) to provide emergency sources of water and/or arrangements for relocating marine mammals as is required by the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service’s (USDA-APHIS) Regulation 9 CFR section 3.101(b).
As this disaster looms, Andrew’s father, Arthur Hertz, Chairman of Wometco Enterprises/MSQ is negotiating with the banks to build a new $60 million Aquatic Center in Sunny Isles, FL yet claim to have insufficient funds to protect their wildlife in this pending disaster. APHIS has indicated that MSQ has a Plan, yet APHIS does not have a copy of the Plan. Andrew Hertz has stated “We have been consulting with APHIS as we develop our contingency plans. Once finalized, we will send the plan to them.” It is obvious that no plan exists. There have been numerous individual requests to the APHIS Freedom of Information Act office to produce the Plan and every request has gone unfulfilled. Both MSQ and APHIS are now scrambling to develop a plan, as both have neglected to abide by the regulations put in place to protect our marine life.
For many years, the MSQ has been permitted to operate in direct defiance of APHIS and Animal Welfare Act (AWA) Regulations as well as specific code violations. They have been cited for hundreds of safety, National Electrical Code (NEC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and Miami- Dade County Building Official violations and as such, their blatant disregard and historical lack of attentiveness to these violations has resulted in the deaths of numerous marine mammals. In addition to non-compliance of several APHIS/AWA Regulations, numerous NEC and NFPA code violations exist right now and are placing the lives and safety of MSQ employees, visitors and marine life at risk. These violations are well documented and have recently been submitted to the proper authorities.
I ask for your immediate action to ensure the safety of the marine life at the Miami Seaquarium and require they bring ALL provisions of animal welfare, including marine mammal housing size, into compliance with current APHIS Regulations under the Animal Welfare Act as well as repair, replace and/or upgrade all safety, NEC and NFPA code violations until those items are in compliance with current standards and to ensure.
If Wometco Enterprises and Miami Seaquarium find that complying with all current regulations and codes is not cost feasible, I respectfully submit an alternative viable solution, whereas a comprehensive Rescue Plan would be submitted to provide a safe retirement and relocation of all marine animals presently housed at MSQ. The cost of such a plan and its implementation would be privately funded, therefore, the monies requested by MSQ could be diverted to alternate sources, where the desperate need exists, rather than aimed at protecting corporate profit. Implementation of the Rescue Plan could begin immediately.
Opponents of captivity for marine mammals have called for Lolita’s retirement and release from her pool at MSQ for years. Captured on August 8, 1970, from Penn Cove, Washington state and sent down to Florida to perform tricks for tourists, Lolita has resided in what is the smallest and oldest orca tank in the United States. The tank is merely one-and-a-half-times her size, has garnered numerous safety violations, and does not meet USDA/APHIS Regulations. Caring people have been trying to help Lolita for decades – writing letters, protesting, raising awareness – but Lolita’s captors are indifferent and uncaring, and they hide behind loopholes in the laws designed to protect our rare and valuable wild animals. Lolita, who is affectionately known as “Toki” (short for her true name, Tokitae – which means ‘shimmering water’ in Chinook), was captured right before implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act which now protects the rest of her family as endangered species. Lolita’s family, including her mother, now believed to be 82 years old, still swim freely in the open waters where Lolita was captured. Because she was caught ‘pre-act’, the powers-that-be excluded her from the status of endangered. It’s time to return Lolita home, where her family awaits.
There are many wonderful people and organizations willing to work with the Miami Seaquarium, the Unified Commands’ Response efforts, local, state and federal officials and are ready, willing and waiting to move forward with a rehabilitation, retirement and relocation plan for ALL their marine animals.
Please visit http://www.orcanetwork.org/news/oilhitslolita.html for an important press release from Marine Mammal Specialist Richard O’Barry and David Phillips, Director of Earth Island Institute. For more information about the organizations who are ready and willing to help visit http://www.orcanetwork.org , http://www.earthisland.org , http://www.earthisland.org/immp , http://www.whaleresearch.com and http://www.orcalab.org
I thank you for your support and prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
SEND TO:
PRESIDENT OBAMA:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Comments to President Obama must be 2500 characters or less. Right click her to open a new window with a letter formatted to fit his comment form: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=135244379842248
FLORIDA GOVERNOR / LT. GOV
Governor Charlie Christ: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp: Jeff.Kottkamp@MyFlorida.com
SENATORS/REPRESENTATIVES:
Also, please cut and paste this letter into the contact forms of these Senators:
Senator Maria Cantwell: http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/
Senator Patty Murray: http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe
Senator Bill Nelson of Florida: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Congressman Jay Inslee: http://www.house.gov/inslee/html/contact_jay.shtml
Also visit http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml to locate your Local, State and Federal Officials. We primarily want to target Florida & Washington State Officials.
THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND APHIS:
USDA-APHIS-Animal Care: ace@aphis.usda.gov
USDA-APHIS-Animal Care East: aceast@aphis.usda.gov
USDA-APHIS-Policy & Programs: aphis.web@aphis.usda.gov
Abbey Shaffer- Legislative Teams Leader: abbey.l.shaffer@aphis.usda.gov
Christopher Needham- Legislative Affairs Specialist: christopher.needham@aphis.usda.gov
James Ivy- USDA-APHIS: james.c.ivy@aphis.usda.gov
Bethany Jones- Deputy Administrator of Legislative and Public Affairs: bethany.x.jones@aphis.usda.gov
Edward Avalos- Under Secretary for Marketing & Regulatory Programs: ed.avalos@usda.gov
Kathleen Merrigan- Deputy Secretary of Agriculture: kathleen.merrigan@usda.gov
Tom Vilsak- Secretary of Agriculture: agsec@usda.gov
Comma separated if you’d prefer a single bulk mailing to USDA/APHIS:
ace@aphis.usda.gov,aceast@aphis.usda.gov,aphis.web@aphis.usda.gov,abbey.l.shaffer@aphis.usda.gov,christopher.needham@aphis.usda.gov,bethany.x.jones@aphis.usda.gov,ed.avalos@usda.gov,kathleen.merrigan@usda.gov,agsec@usda.gov,james.c.ivy@aphis.usda.gov
KEN FEINBERG: BP FUND DISTRIBUTION CZAR:
Send to: kfeinberg@feinbergrozen.com
Also, please cut and paste this letter into the contact form of the Unified Command’s Deepwater Horizon Response
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/inquiry/2931/?dbnameID=23923#
In the dropdown boxes select:
I belong to the following group: COMMUNITY- GENERAL PUBLIC
Topic/Category: OTHER
*Be sure to unclick the “Join the mailing list” box
LOCAL MIAMI OFFICIALS:
Miami Dade:
Board of County Commissioners
111 N.W. First Street, Suites 220 & 320
Miami, Florida 33128
(305) 375-5124
(305) 375-5569 (2nd Floor Fax – Districts 1-8)
(305) 375-4838 (3rd Floor Fax – Districts 9-13)
District One – Barbara Jordan
(305) 375-5694 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6028 Downtown Fax
Email: District1@miamidade.gov
District Office: 2780 N.W. 167th Street
Miami Gardens, Florida 33054
(305) 474-3011 (Phone)
(305) 474-3066 (Fax)
District Two – Dorrin Rolle
(305) 375-4833 Downtown Office
(305) 375-4843 Downtown Fax
Email: District2@miamidade.gov
District Office: City of North Miami
900 N.E. 125th Street, Suite 100
Miami, Florida 33161
(305) 694-2779 (Phone)
(305) 694-2781 (Fax)
District Three – Audrey Edmonson
(305) 375-5393 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6104 Downtown Fax
Email: District3@miamidade.gov
District Office: Caleb Center
5400 N.W. 22nd Avenue, Suite 704
Miami, Florida 33142
(305) 636-2331 (Phone)
(305) 638-6906 (Fax)
District Four – Sally Heyman
(305) 375-5128 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6179 Downtown Fax
Email: District4@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1100 N.E. 163rd Street, #303
North Miami, Florida 33162
(305) 787-5999 (Phone)
(305) 787-5998 (Fax)
District Five – Bruno A. Barreiro
(305) 375-5924 Downtown Office
(305) 375-5904 Downtown Fax
Email: District5@miamidade.gov
Main Office Miami Beach Office
1454 S.W. 1st Street, Ste 130 1700 Convention Ctr., Dr., 1st Floor
Miami, Florida 33135 Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 643-8525 (Phone) (305) 673-7743 (Phone)
(305) 643-8528 (Fax) (305) 673-7747 (Fax)
District Six – Rebeca Sosa
(305) 375-5696 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6090 Downtown Fax
Email: District6@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1000 S.W. 57th Avenue, Suite 201
Miami, Florida 33144
(305) 267-6377 (Phone)
(305) 267-6366 (Fax)
District Seven – Carlos Gimenez
(305) 375-5680 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6103 Downtown Fax
Email: District7@miamidade.gov
District Office Frankie Rolle Center
6330 Manor Lane, Suite 100 3750 S. Dixie Highway
Miami, Florida 33143 Miami, Florida 33133
(305) 669-4003 (Phone) (305) 446-3311 (Phone)
(305) 669-4044 (Fax) (305) 569-7672 (Fax)
District Eight – Katy Sorenson
(305) 375-5218 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6073 Downtown Fax
Email: District8@miamidade.gov
District Office: South Dade Government Center
10710 S.W. 211th Street, Suite 204
Miami, Florida 33189
(305) 378-6677 (Phone)
(305) 253-7495 (Fax)
District Nine – Dennis C. Moss- Chairman
(305) 375-4832 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6011 Downtown Fax
Email: DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
South Dade Government Center Florida City Office
10710 S.W. 211th Street, Suite 206 1634 NW 6th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33189 Florida City, Florida 33034
(305) 234-4938 (Phone) (305) 245-4420 (Phone)
(305) 232-2892 (Fax) (305) 245-5008 (Fax)
District Ten – Javier Souto
(305) 375-4835 Downtown Office
(305) 375-4838 Downtown Fax
Email: District10@miamidade.gov
District Office: 9766 Coral Way, Suite One
Miami, Florida 33165
(305) 222-2116 (Phone)
(305) 222-2120 (Fax)
District Eleven – Joe Martinez
(305) 375-5511 Downtown Office
(305) 375-5883 Downtown Fax
Email: District11@miamidade.gov
District Office: 1401 S.W. 107th Avenue, Suite 301M
Miami, Florida 33174
(305) 552-1155 (Phone)
(305) 552-0577 (Fax)
District Twelve – Jose “Pepe” Diaz – Vice Chairman
(305) 375-4343 Downtown Office
(305) 372-6109 Downtown Fax
Email: District12@miamidade.gov
District Office: 8345 N.W. 12th Street
Miami, Florida 33126
(305) 599-1200 (Phone)
(305) 470-1791 (Fax)
District Thirteen – Natacha Seijas
(305) 375-4831 (Downtown Office)
(305) 375-4838 (Downtown Fax)
Office of Commission Auditor/Legislative Analysts
(305) 375-4354 (Phone)
(305) 679-7990 (Fax)
Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
(305) 375-5600 (Phone)
(305) 375-5639 (Fax)
Protocol & Employee Recognition
(305) 375-3611 (Phone)
(305) 372-6029 (Fax)
Office of the Mayor – Carlos Alvarez
(305) 375-5071 (Phone)
(305) 375-3618 (Fax)
County Manager – George Burgess
(305) 375-5311 (Phone)
(305) 375-1262 (Fax)
EMAILS:
District1@miamidade.gov
District2@miamidade.gov
District3@miamidade.gov
District4@miamidade.gov
District5@miamidade.gov
District6@miamidade.gov
District7@miamidade.gov
District8@miamidade.gov
DennisMoss@miamidade.gov
District10@miamidade.gov
District11@miamidade.gov
District12@miamidade.gov
With Commas:
District1@miamidade.gov , District2@miamidade.gov , District3@miamidade.gov , District4@miamidade.gov , District5@miamidade.gov , District6@miamidade.gov , District7@miamidade.gov , District8@miamidade.gov , DennisMoss@miamidade.gov , District10@miamidade.gov , District11@miamidade.gov , District12@miamidade.gov ,
With Semi-Colons:
District1@miamidade.gov ; District2@miamidade.gov ; District3@miamidade.gov ; District4@miamidade.gov ; District5@miamidade.gov ; District6@miamidade.gov ; District7@miamidade.gov ; District8@miamidade.gov ; DennisMoss@miamidade.gov ; District10@miamidade.gov ; District11@miamidade.gov ; District12@miamidade.gov
NEWS AGENCIES:
Comment Forms:
Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/08/14/1186127/got-news.html
E-mails:
Jane Velez Mitchell on Headline News: Jane@CNN.com
FoxQ13- Seattle: tips@q13fox.com,foxfeedback@q13fox.com
7News Miami: newsdesk@wsvn.com,senditto7@wsvn.com
CBS 4/My33- Miami-Fort Lauderdale: wfornews@wfor.cbs.com
NBC Miami: tips@nbcmiami.com
Sun Sentinel: dbanker@sun-sentinel.com,alrosenberg@sun-sentinel.com
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