Li'i, dolphin who shared tank with Lolita, moves from Seaquarium to SeaWorld San Antonio

Li'i, the Pacific white-sided dolphin who was a companion to the orca whale Lolita at the Miami Seaquarium, was transferred to the San Antonio SeaWorld the two aquariums announced Monday.

Li'i spent 35 years at the Seaquarium and was the last of his kind left at the aquarium. Two other dolphins were moved from the Seaquarium to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago earlier this month, according to the Miami Herald.

"After the departure of Lolita, our animal care experts suggested his relocation to a habitat with other peers of his species and our efforts to look for his well-being took him to SeaWorld in San Antonio," the Seaquarium said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

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Lolita, with whom Li'i once shared a tank, was one of the oldest orcas in captivity before her death earlier this year. Animal activists fought for the freedom of both animals for decades, arguing that they deserved to return to their respective homes in the Pacific Northwest.

"By violating its promise to send Li’i to a seaside sanctuary and condemning him to spend the rest of his life in yet another concrete cell, the Miami Seaquarium has failed this long-suffering dolphin, just as it failed Lolita," People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement.

At 40, Li'i is an elder dolphin according to the Miami Herald and according to a Facebook post made by SeaWorld San Antonio, the facility is one of only a pair of places that has the ability to care for elderly sea animals.

"SeaWorld San Antonio is one of only two places in the United States to care for his species, and our veterinary team is experienced with caring for older animals like Li’i and can provide a custom care regimen that will be in his best interest," the aquarium said in the post.

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