Lolita Update #16
August 20, 1999

Dear Friends of Lolita~

Two news bits for you.

1) Ralph says goodbye to "Ralph" (J-6)

Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro is a Tokitae Foundation board member and a defender of orcas for over 25 years. In 1976 he filed suits against federal and state agencies, as well as Sea World, and succeeded in stopping any further captures of orcas in Washington State. Sec. Munro has issued the following announcement. Anyone who can attend this event is warmly invited and any messages for Sec. Munro sent to tokitae@bellsouth.net will be forwarded to him. Note: The waters off San Juan Island are in the center of the 400-mile wide habitat of the Southern Resident orca community, which is the extended family, or clan, of "Ralph" and continues to be Lolita's family.

Media Advisory
August 16, 1999
To: News Media
From: David Brine, Communications Director 360/753-2526
Subject: Ralph says goodbye to "Ralph" (J-6) - 8/23/99

FYI - Secretary of State Ralph Munro will hold a brief ceremony on San Juan Island next Monday (August 23) to bid farewell to Orca whale "J-6". The whale, a member of J-Pod, was nick-named "Ralph" in 1983 in honor of Munro's efforts to prevent the capture of killer whales in Washington waters and to promote the viewing of whales in the wild. Munro is one of only two individuals to be so honored.
There have been no sightings of J-6 since December of last year, and officials at the Center for Whale Research are convinced that the whale is dead at the estimated age of 42. The loss of J-6 comes in the midst of an alarming decline in the southern resident Orca whale population. The population, which had been increasing steadily for more than a decade, has dropped from 98 to 84 animals in the last four years.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, August 23, at Lime Kiln Point State Park, on the west side of San Juan Island. The park was acquired from the federal government in 1984 and is a popular spot for viewing whales and other marine life.

2) Surprise demo at Seaquarium on Sunday

The next demonstration to stand up for Lolita's return to her home waters will take place on Sunday, August 22, from Noon to 1 PM, in front of the Seaquarium. Banners, pennants and refreshments will be provided. We are changing our usual schedule of holding demos on the second Sunday of each month. All friends of Lolita in South Florida are invited to attend. Plans for future demos will be made at the demo on Sunday.

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!