On August 8th, 1970, more than 80 orcas were rounded up and herded into nets in Penn Cove, Washington. Seven of these orcas, likely from the the Southern Resident community, were taken into captivity, including Tokitae.
As many as five orcas drowned in the nets during this process, where over 80 individuals were encircled. The footage that you will see is disturbing, and depicts the brutal, extremely stressful, and haphazard methods utilized in capturing orcas from the wild. The special also features the first ever interview with diver John Crowe, who worked on the Penn Cove capture and was in charge of secretly disposing of the carcasses of the drowned orcas, to avoid them being counted in the total numbers taken during the capture.
Lolita, also known as Tokitae (which means ‘nice day, pretty colours’ in Chinook) died alone in captivity at Miami Seaquarium in 2023, after over 50 years in captivity. Lolita’s family is the L25 matriline of the “L” pod of the Southern Resident orca community. Lolita’s mother is believed to be L25, Ocean Sun (estimated birth year 1930), who still resides with Lolita’s family swimming freely in the open waters where Lolita was captured. Lolita continued to use the calls that only her family uses.
In 2005, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) designated the Southern Resident orcas as an endangered species under the US Endangered Species Act. On February 4, 2015, Lolita was officially included in the endangered listing of the Southern Resident orca Distinct Population Segment (DPS) by NMFS. Lolita was the last surviving orca of 45 members of the Southern Resident community that were captured and delivered for display in marine parks between 1965 and 1973. At least 13 members of her family were killed during these brutal captures. Only Corky, a member of the Northern Resident orca community captured in 1969, who still lives at Sea World in San Diego, has been in captivity longer.
Photograph courtesy of: Wallie V. Funk Photographs, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123
Penn Cove facts
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Over 80 orcas were rounded up with boats, planes, and explosives, including members of all 3 Southern Resident pods
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Five orcas drowned in the nets
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The orcas who were killed were sunk to avoid being counted
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Southern Resident orcas are now listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
From the Emmy Award‐winning syndicated special, Baby Wild Films Presents: The Killer Whale People, produced, written and edited by Michael Harris, with original music by Tim Truman. Hosted and narrated by Heart’s Nancy Wilson. For information, contact michael@babywildfilms.com. Thank you to Baby Wild Films for providing us with permission to share this video.
In 2005, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) designated the Southern Resident orcas as an endangered species under the US Endangered Species Act. On February 4, 2015, Tokitae was officially included in the endangered listing of the Southern Resident orca Distinct Population Segment (DPS) by NMFS. Tokitae is the last surviving individual of at least 47 members of the Southern Resident community that were captured and delivered for display in marine parks or died in these efforts between 1962 and 1977. Only Corky, a member of the Northern Resident orca community captured in 1969, who still lives at Sea World in San Diego, has been in captivity longer. Many other orcas are also still held captive around the world.
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