Lolita Update #103
Protest Reminder Saturday, January 31
January 28, 2009

Dear Friends of Lolita~

There will be a demo THIS Saturday, January 31st in front of the Miami Seaquarium from 12:00 Noon until 1:30 PM to protest against Lolita's horrible living conditions and to promote her retirement to a protected bay pen in Washington. Because of the high interest in these demos I have decided to do them once a month, every last Saturday of the month will be a demo, same time, same place. So pass the word on to friends and family who may be interested. I have attached the flyer for the event.

-Shelby

When you come to the demo park in the FREE parking at the beach on the right hand side of the road before the Seaquarium, do NOT pay the Seaquarium to park. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at 412-983-0994. Below is what to bring and how to get there. Also I am in the process of making a website for Lolita and I want it to be professional and effective though it is turning out to be much more money than I expected so if anyone knows a web designer that may give me a little break because it's for a good cause PLEASE let me know! Thanks and I hope to see you Saturday!

Shelby

saveouroceansnow@gmail.com

Protest for Lolita's retirement in front of the Miami Seaquarium:

4400 Rickenbacker Causeway
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
(305) 361-5705

Directions from North:

Take I-95 South, Exit 1A (Miami Seaquarium), and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway.

Directions from South:

Take US1 North, exit to right just before the on-ramp to I-95, and follow the signs to Key Biscayne and Rickenbacker Causeway.

-Once on the Causeway you have to pay a toll ($1.50, I believe) so bring quarters. That isn't so bad because then we don't have to pay for parking. When driving to the Seaquarium on the Causeway you will see beaches on the right hand side of the road and parking is free, you should park at the beach on the right hand side of the road RIGHT BEFORE THE SEAQUARIUM. If you pass it you will see the entrance to the Seaquarium, just make a U-turn and then pull into the beach parking lot.

-If you get there early or need help finding parking, I'll be there just call me 412-983-0994.
Email Shelby Proie - saveouroceansnow@gmail.com - for more information on the demonstration.
-Just in case I suggest that you bring a ziplock plastic bag and a garbage bag. This is in case it rains, we learned at the last protest that it sucks if you don't have a waterproof place to keep your cell phones, cameras, etc. The garbage bag would be for if you don't want your signs to get ruined.

-I SUGGEST that when making signs you make them on FOAM BOARD you can find it with the poster board everywhere, it's nice because it does not bend or tear with the wind and/or water, it is a little more expensive though. Trust me you'll thank me when you're done holding up signs for an hour and a half.

WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF EXTRA SIGNS (about 20) but they run out fast, SO IF YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN!

-Bring a water bottle and snacks it takes a lot out of you standing in the sun for an hour and a half, luckily the temperatures seem to be cooling down a bit so that will be nice : )

-Bring sunscreen and a hat if you don't want to get burnt, because you probably will if you don't.

-I also strongly suggest that you read the information about Lolita and her situation on www.orcanetwork.org (Lolita/captivity) if you haven't already. You have to be ready with correct information if the news reporters ask you something. Let me know if you need any help!

-Please take as many pictures and videos of this as you can, and post them EVERYWHERE! WE need to get the word out.

I look forward to seeing all of you next Saturday, and want to thank you again for coming out and making a difference in such a beautiful animals life, I know that she'd thank you if she could! If you need anything or have any questions feel free to message or call me 412-983-0994.

LET'S START A REVOLUTION AND GET LOLITA HOME WHERE SHE BELONGS!

Shelby, in collaboration with Orca Network, invites fellow Miami residents and media to come out and support Lolita's retirement. We hope to see Lolita transported to a bay pen in her native Pacific Northwest waters where she will be taken care of for the rest of her life unless she chooses to rejoin her pod that resides in the same waters most months of every year.

She has been living in an illegal tank at the Seaquarium for the last 38 years, but now a swim with the dolphins program has become the main source of revenue for the park. This has added to the controversy about why she shouldn't be retired. The Seaquarium is not allowed and won't build her a bigger tank. No other marine park is likely to take Lolita because orcas are members of specific cultural communities (Lolita is a member of the L25 subpod of the Southern Resident clan and still calls in her pod's unique whistles). If retired she will initially reside in a generously sized bay pen where she will be fed, taken care of and slowly reintroduced back into the wild. After rehabilitation it will be her choice to continue to live in the pen, return occasionally for food and care, or leave to rejoin her pod.

SeaWorld awaits auctioneer's last call

Buyers await Anheuser-Busch assets sale
Financial Times: January 15 2009

Bidders are lining up to participate in the sale of more than $7bn worth of assets that are being prepared to go under the auctioneer's hammer in the wake of InBev's $52bn takeover of Anheuser-Busch, the brewer of Budweiser. Busch Entertainment, the group's theme park business, which owns SeaWorld Orlando, is expected to be one of the first business units put up for sale with a possible price of up to $4bn.Potential bidders include Merlin Entertainments, the Blackstone-owned theme park group whose assets include Madame Tussauds and Legoland.

Much is going on to help bring Lolita home and to inform and advocate for her and her family Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to help Orca Network continue this work. Thank you!