Skip to content
All articles
  • All articles
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...
The Natütama Foundation are dedicated to protecting endangered river dolphins. Image: Natutama

Guardians of the Amazon: protecting the endangered river dolphins

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Amazon river dolphins. Image: Fernando Trujillo/Fundacion Omacha

Amazon tragedy as endangered river dolphins die in hot water

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin © Mike Bossley/WDC

WDC in Japan – Part 3: Restoring freedom to dolphins in South Korea

Katrin Matthes Katrin is WDC's communications and campaigns officer for policy & communication in Germany...
Wintery scene in Iceland

Seeking sanctuary – Iceland’s complex relationship with whales

Hayley Flanagan Hayley is WDC's engagement officer, specialising in creating brilliant content for our website...
Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC's Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season...

WDC supports petition to list Lolita in US Endangered Species Act

WDC has written to the United States’ National Marine Fisheries Service in support of a petition filed jointing by Animal Defense League Fund, PETA and The Orca Network to list Lolita, a female orca held in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium in the US Endangered Species Act, along with the rest of the Southern Resident orca population. US law requires Federal agencies to publish notices of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to enable public participation in the decision-making process through the provision of comments in support or opposition.

Lolita was captured along with 11 other Southern Resident orcas in 1970 in the waters of Washington State. Five other orcas, including four calves, died during the capture. All the other orcas captured from this population died within five years of the capture, as did another Southern Resident and Lolita’s pool mate, Hugo, who died in 1980. Since then, Lolita has remained with no others of her kind in a tank that does not even meet the inadequate requirements of US legislation for the keeping of orcas in captivity.

The Southern Resident population of orcas was listed as endangered in 2005 and continues to face a large host of threats from pollution, increased shipping activity, including personal watercraft and commercial whale-watch boats, as well as concerns over availability of their preferred prey (Chinook salmon). Past live captures for the aquarium industry is thought to have contributed to their endangered status. In spite of there being no logical or legal reason for Lolita’s exclusion from the listing, it is thought she was excluded because she is in captivity. Lolita meets all the criteria for listing.

WDC also supports Lolita’s rehabilitation in a sea pen in her natural waters, with the possibility of release into her wild population, which could contribute to the long-term conservation of the Southern Residents by adding another individual to the population at best, or increasing our understanding of these majestic marine mammals in a more natural setting at worse. These contributions to the recovery of the population could be could be vital, but are likely not possible without first extending the protections of the ESA to Lolita.