Li'i recently reunited with his two offspring after he lost his longtime pal in Miami Seaquarium, Lolita. He was transported to his new home over the weekend.
Lolita's Longtime Pal Moved To a New Home
Li'i, the Pacific white-sided dolphin who was Lolita's companion at the Miami Seaquarium, was moved to SeaWorld of San Antonio, where he was reunited with his two children, former companion Piquet, and three other members of his species.
Li'i, a 40-year-old, 200-pound dolphin, was transported in a container filled with cold water on a specially chartered Boeing 767 with two veterinarians and a trainer.
Li'i's journey was successful, according to Dr. Christopher Dold, chief zoological officer of SeaWorld. He is an older dolphin who has never flown but was calm the entire flight. Early morning, they submerged him in the water, and he was attentive and talkative. He was reportedly aware of the other sea creatures he would live with.
Li'i will be relocated into one of SeaWorld's largest habitats, which he will share with the other Pacific white-sided dolphins and Beluga whales once he becomes accustomed to his new home after spending his whole life at Seaquarium.
Since 1983, Li'i and Lolita have shared a tank in the Whale Bowl after being rescued off the coast of California. Dr. Guillermo Sanchez, chief veterinary officer for The Dolphin Company, which operates Seaquarium and 29 other facilities throughout the world, explained that their main goal was to provide Li'i with the highest welfare possible in a setting where he could live with other dolphins of his kind. After Toki passed away, they immediately began planning for Li'i's future. Geriatric animals are something San Antonio has a lot of experience with.
Li'i's flight left Miami at 10 p.m. after performing numerous practice maneuvers at the Seaquarium in the cold-water tank Sunday.
On Aug. 3, Elelo and Loki, a mother-and-son pair of Pacific white-sided dolphins from Seaquarium, were transferred to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.
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Beloved Orca Lolita Passed Away
Lolita, an orca that had entertained the visitors at the Miami Seaquarium for over five decades, passed away in August. She was in captivity for 50 years, and there was a plan to release her into the ocean. However, she didn't get to see that day as she died due to a renal problem.
Lolita reportedly displayed "serious signs of discomfort" two days before she died. However, she was "very stable and as good as she can be at 50 years of age."
She had a healthy appetite and consumed several pounds of salmon, herring, and squid. The Seaquarium noted that a team of veterinarians was caring for Lolita and monitoring her physical and mental health.
Unknown factors contributed to Lolita's condition deteriorating in the week that followed the positive Seaquarium report. The organization also stated that her departure was not wholly unexpected, considering her advanced age. However, the people who have loved and cared for her daily and those who care strongly about her around the world are particularly affected by this enormous and terrible loss.
Seaquarium is still waiting for the results of Lolita's necropsy performed at the University of Georgia.
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