Thousands participate in protest for killer whale

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Two-year-old Morgan protested May 15 for killer whale's freedom

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uploaded by Sharon Raiford Bush

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Thousands of animal lovers participated Saturday in an international protest to voice their concerns over the existence of Lolita, the killer whale. Some of the sign-waving protesters who took to the streets were as young as two years old.

Protest rallies were held in dozens of key cities across the United States and throughout such countries as Canada, Australia, Germany and Hungary.

The goal of the protests was to raise awareness to Lolita who was just age four when she was captured in 1970. The killer whale, the oldest orca in captivity, has been performing at the Seaquarium in Miami, FL, for about 40 years.

Animal rights organizations and animal welfare enthusiasts want the owner of the whale to allow her to retire.

Lolita reportedly lives in the smallest and oldest whale tank in North America, an existence that angers such animal lovers as third grader Trevor Metcalf, the 9-year-old who led the protest in Seattle, WA.

"He just watched the video of [Lolita] performing in that little tank and he just got so mad," said Trevor's mother, Audra Beavers. "I am just glad people are listening to him."