Actor and Philanthropist Raul Julia-Levy's Passionate Quest for Lolita's Freedom Gains Momentum
56Actor and Philanthropist Raul Julia-Levy's Passionate Quest for Lolita's Freedom Gains Momentum
The Free Willy Foundation, under the umbrella of the Earth Island Institution, joins Hollywood's elite calling for the release of a captive Orca whale.
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Hollywood, CA (PRWEB) March 4, 2008 -- Imagine roaming around in an eight by ten room for the rest of your life, receiving the same food day in, day out, at the same time, performing the same routine over and over again. Feeling claustrophobic? Depressed? That's how Lolita feels as she swims in an 18 feet deep, 35 feet by 80 feet tank, only a fraction of the vast ocean she once explored, eating the same ration of fish and jumping through the same hoops.
Lolita is the orca whale held captive at the Miami Seaquarium for the past 37 years. Recently her story has made international news as celebrities have stood behind the campaign for her release. On January 23, Newsweek ran an article about Lolita titled "Free Lolita! A Whale Story" that explains in detail the whale's inhumane plight.
Recent media coverage has compared Lolita's story to that of Keiko, the orca star of the Free Willy movies, directed by Richard Donner. In 1994, the Earth Island Institution (EII) established the Free Willy Keiko Foundation (FWKF) that eventually realized its mission of successfully rehabilitating Keiko to his oceanic home in the volcanic Westman Islands of Iceland.
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Actor and Philanthropist Raul Julia-Levy's Passionate Quest for Lolita's Freedom Gains Momentum
Tue Mar 4, 2:01 AM ET
The Free Willy Foundation, under the umbrella of the Earth Island Institution, joinsHollywood's elite calling for the release of a captive Orca whale.
ADVERTISEMENTHollywood, CA March 4, 2008 -- Imagine roaming around in an eight by ten room for the rest of your life, receiving the same food day in, day out, at the same time, performing the same routine over and over again. Feeling claustrophobic? Depressed? That's how Lolita feels as she swims in an 18 feet deep, 35 feet by 80 feet tank, only a fraction of the vast ocean she once explored, eating the same ration of fish and jumping through the same hoops.
Lolita is the orca whale held captive at the Miami Seaquarium for the past 37 years. Recently her story has made international news as celebrities have stood behind the campaign for her release. On January 23, Newsweek ran an article about Lolita titled "Free Lolita! A Whale Story" that explains in detail the whale's inhumane plight.
Recent media coverage has compared Lolita's story to that of Keiko, the orca star of the Free Willy movies, directed by Richard Donner. In 1994, the Earth Island Institution(EII) established the Free Willy Keiko Foundation (FWKF) that eventually realized its mission of successfully rehabilitating Keiko to his oceanic home in the volcanic Westman Islands of Iceland.
For the Keiko Project, the Free Willy Keiko Foundation received generous assistance from the Earth Island Institute and numerous other foundations. According to EII's website, the organization "works for solutions to environmental problems by promoting citizen action and incubating a diverse network of projects."
The rehabilitation of Keiko involved many steps. First the FWKF negotiated the donation of Keiko from the Reino Aventura amusement park to the project. After successfully transporting Keiko from Mexico City to Oregon, the rehabilitation team built a rehab pool, and eventually a sea pen when Keiko was returned to Iceland to assimilate to his native waters. When Keiko lived in the sea pen, the team re-taught him to eat live fish and other skills to live in the wild.
Keiko's story gives scientists, activists, philanthropists, and Hollywood producers, directors and actors inspiration to forge ahead with the efforts to free Lolita. The latest coup for the campaign to retire Lolita is the recent involvement of the Earth Island Institution: The Keiko Foundation.
Raul Julia-Levy, celebrity spokesman for Lolita's release, said, "Having the Earth Island Institution aligned with our efforts brings a one-two punch to our campaign. We now have the experience of Richard Donner in our quest to free Lolita."
Donner, also the executive producer of Free Willy, raised money and assembled a cast of thousands for the rescue, rehabilitation and release of Keiko. Knowing the controversy surrounding the release of a whale held for entertainment purposes, Donner brings to the equation his compassion and inspiration.
Another high-powered individual to join the campaign is music legend Elton John. In an article published in the Times Colonists, Elton John stated in a letter found on his website, "I have been deeply moved by efforts to free Lolita and wish to add my name to the campaign to return her to home waters, where she can hopefully reunite with her family."
"She has spent most of her life performing daily in a small tank and I wish to add my voice to those others who are attempting to see her either freed or fully cared for in retirement in a sea-pen within the waters where she was captured almost 30 years ago," said Julia-Levy. "A powerful group has been meeting the past two weeks to strategize for the campaign. The Miami Seaquarium won't know what hit them."
Adding to the humanitarian efforts are recent recruits David Permut who produced the 1996 blockbuster Face/Off and Steve Longi who co-produced the recently released Charlie Bartlett. Permut and Longi join Oscar-winning producer Jonathan Sanger, best known for producing Vanilla Sky and Mission Impossible, and Anna and the King and The Martian Child's producer Ed Elbert in the battle to free Lolita.
"With Permut, Longi and Donnor on board, we maintain of unwavering confidence and hope in releasing Lolita from her exploitative existence at the Miami Seaquarium," said Julia-Levy.
Julia-Levy encourages private citizens concerned about anthropomorphic mammals like Lolita to contribute to the campaign for Lolita's release by donating to the Keiko Foundation.
Further information about the Earth Island Institute may be obtained from their website or by contacting:
David PhillipsEarth Island Institute300 Broadway, Suite 28San Francisco, CA 94133(415) 788 3666 X 145
Hello everyone, please go to http://www.theresacd.com and click on the Keiko link to see the details about a documentray that is being made about the life and legacy of Keiko, the star of Free Willy. It is an amazing opportunity that we have to share his story, and we have hours of new footage of Keiko, Orcas in the wild, and marine biologists that took care of Keiko and are coming on board to help us.
The success of this documentary will directly help Lolita and other captive orcas be released back into the wild!
Thank you for supporting!
YEZIKA says:
2 years ago
U.S. aquariums refuse to release aging B.C. whalesJudith Lavoie, Canwest News ServicePublished: Sunday, January 27, 2008
VICTORIA, B.C. -- The answer is no.
No to a million dollars, no to pressure from celebrities and no to the romantics who believe a fairy-tale ending is possible.
Answers from Miami Seaquarium and SeaWorld San Diego to groups pressing for release of the only two surviving captured killer whales from waters in B.C. and Washington state are unequivocal, despite a high-profile campaign that lists supporters such as actors Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford.
Email to a friendPrinter friendlyFont:The campaign to free Lolita, which is at Miami Seaquarium, is led by actor and producer Raul Julia-Levy and the Washington-based Orca Network, while the campaign to free Corky, in San Diego, is led by Paul Spong of OrcaLab on Hanson Island, near Port McNeill, B.C., at the north end of Vancouver Island.
"It's really painful to see that beautiful animal contained in that stinky little tank," said Julia-Levy, who promises to lobby the U.S. Senate and use movie-industry contacts to get exposure on TV programs such as Oprah.
The tale started almost four decades ago.
Lolita, a member of the southern residents - now classified as endangered in Canada and the U.S. - was captured near Whidbey Island, Wash., in 1970, as a three-year-old. About 85 whales were driven into the cove, with boats, explosives and aircraft.
Four baby whales and a female drowned, and seven young whales were captured and sold to aquariums.
Between 1967 and 1975, more than 60 whales were captured in B.C. and Washington waters, including 40-year-old Corky, a member of the threatened northern residents. Between 11 and 13 died during the captures and most of the others died in captivity.
As the two surviving whales approach old age, groups are making a last-ditch attempt to bring them back to their home waters.
Orca Network has a net pen for Lolita in the area - near the southern end of Vancouver Island - where her family hangs out in summer.
"We would do it in the most conservative and professional way," said Howard Garrett of Orca Network, who has worked for Lolita's freedom since 1995.
Garrett hopes an offer of $1 million might sway Anheuser-Busch, owner of the Seaquarium. "We have a billionaire lined up," said Julia-Levy.
Spong wants to see an ocean net pen on northern Vancouver Island and is begging for Corky's retirement.
"If they looked at Corky as an employee who has put in years of incredible service, they could give her the equivalent of a gold watch. Make her a generous offer and let her hear the natural sounds of the ocean again," he said.
"I think it would be long-term care in the ocean, but, my sense is, if she did come back to an ocean halfway house where she could hear the sounds of her relatives, it would be a transforming experience."
But the aquariums say there is no chance either whale will be released.
There is no scientific evidence that Lolita could survive in the ocean, said Andrew Hertz, Miami Seaquarium general manager.
"It would be irresponsible for us to treat her life as an experiment and jeopardize her health and safety," he said.
"Lolita will remain at Miami Seaquarium, surrounded by people who love and protect her."
Fred Jacobs, SeaWorld spokesman, said the aquarium will not consider the proposal.
"We would consider it an act of cruelty," he said.
"She has spent virtually her entire life being cared for by humans and has none of the fear and natural suspicion she would need to survive in the wild. She's never had to hunt for food."