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Orca returning to Puget Sound after 50 years captivity
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Orca returning to Puget Sound after 50 years captivity

Tokitae, the world’s oldest orca in captivity, is coming back home for her release 50 years after she was taken from the waters of Puget Sound.

Her original name, Tokitae (or Toki), was given to her by the Coast Salish people before she spent those five decades performing at the Miami Seaquarium for guests alongside various trainers and was renamed “Lolita.” Animal rights activists in Florida and Washington have been advocating for her to be freed from captivity for years, highlighting the inherent cruelty of keeping such an enormous, intelligent animal in an inadequately sized tank at a zoo.

“I think it’s beneficial to the ecosystem to bring these animals back and to keep them away from abusive environments” – Sophomore Kevin de la Cruz.

Upon her release, advocates hope she can one day be reunited with the L-Pod that frequents the Salish Sea and British Columbia, the matriarch of which is believed to be Tokitae’s mother. However, in order to ensure her safety, the plan, for now, is to place her in a netted whale sanctuary the size of several football fields.

Although residents are excited about her return, trainers that worked with Toki and others are concerned about how the aging whale will handle the dramatic move. Some previous attempts to reintroduce whales accustomed to living in captivity has proven deadly to them. It will be a huge change from the lifestyle and environment she’s been held in for the last five decades, which will likely cause her some distress.

It is hoped that because she was already a few years old when she was captured and had already learned essential skills such as hunting, she will be able to rehabilitate and live out the rest of her life in her natural habitat.

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Violet Brose (they/she)
Violet Brose (they/she), Cheeky Editor
Senior Violet Brose is Cheeky Editor and a second-year reporter. They look forward to watching and being featured in burrito compilations as well as working on graphics. In their free time, they enjoy creative writing, art, and taking walks in nature.
Daniel Su (he/him)
Daniel Su (he/him), Junior Web Editor
Senior Daniel Su is super hyped for his third year on Nordic as Junior Web-Editor. This year, he is looking to improve his writing and reporting skills while making sure every student at IHS is represented in Nordic’s stories. Outside of Nordic, Daniel runs XC and plays soccer for the school. He also plays a lot of Brawl Stars. He hopes you find our issues interesting and thought-provoking. Happy reading!
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Hope Rasa (she/her), Web-Editor-in-Chief
Senior Hope Rasa is back for her third year on the Nordic News staff as Web-Editor-in-Chief. In her limited spare time, Hope enjoys reading, writing, knitting, needlepoint, hiking, and listening to music. While on Nordic this year, Hope hopes to improve her writing skills, learn more about journalism, and help make this website become the best it can be.