The unthinkable may be possible: there are now talks about Tokitae, an orca ripped from her family and flown to the other side of the country, coming home to Puget Sound. FOX13
have been raising funds for years to build an open-sea pen that would allow the orca access to her home waters, while also being able to communicate with family members without the risk of her injuring herself at sea. One of those elders told FOX 13 that she plans to attend Thursday’s event.
It’s unclear what a timeline would look like if Tokitae is indeed coming home, though there are a number of hoops and ladders that would need to be cleared: government entities would need to sign off, funds would be required, and a location would need to be prepared to release Tokitae after a cross-country journey.
All of that said, those who have followed this story closely say today’s news is perhaps the closest her return has ever come to reality in more than 50 years.Believed to have been born in 1966 in the L Pod of the southern resident orcas. She was captured from Penn Cove in Puget Sound at four years old. Tokitae was one of seven of young orcas captured in Puget Sound that day and was then sold to marine mammal parks around the world. The other six orcas taken have since died in captivity.
Tokitae was alone again before the aquarium added dolphins to her enclosure. Orcas are social creatures and travel in pods in the dozens. Tokitae became the subject of a documentary called Lolita: Slave to Entertainment, where activists argued against her conditions of containment and argued that she should be reintroduced into the wild. This predates the well-known Blackfish documentary, which shed a light on performing whales in captivity.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Changes seen, new names needed for some North Puget Sound gray whalesThe Sounders whales return every spring to feed in the waters around Everett, Camano Island, and Whidbey Island.
Read more »
'The cause is unkown': Parents sound the alarm about BRUE, which can strike infantsA viral TikTok video is raising awareness about an alarming medical event that can affect infants.
Read more »
The Spinners' Smooth Sound Sweetens Sugar LandThis year’s nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are nothing if not an eclectic bunch. The list (which extends far beyond the traditional definition of “rock”) includes artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Iron Maiden, the White Stripes, Willie Nelson, a Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, George Michael...
Read more »
Sonos Era 100 review: bigger sound, better features | Digital TrendsSonos' newest entry-level wireless smart speaker packs plenty of new features and much more immersive sound – just don't say, hey, Google.
Read more »
Fort Worth firm allows you to turn down the TV sound - CEO SpotlightJason Kidd, CEO, Hearing Lab Technology LLC: Lucid Hearing joins KRLD's David Johnson on this episode of CEO Spotlight.
Read more »
Pulsing sound waves can help remove microplastics from ocean, study revealsThe device was able to remove over 70 percent of the small plastic waste and 82 percent of the larger-size microplastics.
Read more »