MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Sea Aquarium, an old-style Florida tourist attraction that was home to Lolita, the beloved Orca who passed away last yearwas evicted from the waterfront property he was renting from Miami-Dade County.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava cited a “long and troubling history of wrongdoing” in notice of termination of tenancy sent Thursday to the CEO of The Dolphin Company, which owns the Seaquarium. The company has been told to vacate the property by April 21, according to the letter from the mayor’s office.
“They have been subject to continuous violations, including decaying animal habitats, a lack of veterinary staff and a lack of other experienced staff,” Levin Kava said during a press conference on Thursday.
“Our number one priority continues to be animal safety and welfare,” the mayor said.
Seaquarium officials sent a a letter last month to Levine Cava, inviting her to visit the park so she could see for herself the welfare of the animals. The county had notified the park in January that they wanted to terminate the park’s lease following a review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates the treatment and care of captive animals.
Eduardo Albor, CEO of The Dolphin Company, appeared at the press conference and told reporters that he did not understand why the mayor refused invitations to the Seaquarium.
“How can she say she cares about animals when she’s never been to the Miami Sea Aquarium in two years?” he asked.
Levin Cava said during the news conference that representatives from the county parks department have been making regular visits to the park for the past year and a half.
“The current state of the Miami Aquarium is unsustainable and dangerous,” said Levin Cava.
The marine aquarium can still fight the eviction. A judge will have to declare the park in accordance with their lease.
Albor said Thursday that he plans to let his attorneys respond to the eviction notice.
“I’ll just let my lawyers defend our rights. I’m just going to let our lawyers defend our rights because it’s offensive to speak for my people,” Albor said.
The action follows a series of federal inspections that found numerous problems at the Seaquarium, including unsafe and structurally deficient buildings.
“The 2022 USDA reports also consistently identified that several structures were not properly maintained and this created unsafe conditions and in many cases resulted in injuries,” the mayor said.
The Dolphin Company, based in Mexico, had agreed to help relocate Lolita to a natural sea pen in the Pacific Northwest when he took over ownership of the Seaquarium in 2022. Lolita, also known as Tokitae or Toki, died on August 18 at the age of 57.
Animal rights activists have sought Lolita’s freedom for years. The killer whale spent much of its life in a tank that measured 80 feet by 35 feet (24 meters by 11 meters) and was 20 feet (6 meters) deep, and stopped participating in performances at the Marine Aquarium in 2022.
A coalition that includes Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is working on a plan to move Lolita back to the Pacific Northwest.
A autopsy cited kidney failure as the cause of Lolita’s death. The autopsy also found that Lolita suffered from acute and chronic bronchointerstitial pneumonia and kidney degeneration, as well as chronic heart disease suggesting degeneration of the heart valves.
“Finally, authorities are taking action against the persistent animal welfare violations at the Miami Sea Aquarium,” said Dr. Naomi Rose, senior scientist in marine mammal biology with the Institute for Animal Welfare’s Marine Life Program. “This derelict facility has been a problem for Miami for far too long. We hope the zoo and aquarium community will take action to ensure that all animals—mammals, birds, fish—find acceptable homes in U.S. facilities.”
The Marine Aquarium opened in 1955 overlooking Biscayne Bay and was among the first theme parks dedicated to marine life. It gained international attention in the 1960s when the TV series Flipper was filmed there.
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Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
