Lolita the Orca Could Finally Return to the Pacific After 52 Years in Captivity.

Plans are underway to return Lolita, a captive orca, to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest, where her mother still swims. Lolita was captured over 50 years ago and has spent decades performing for paying crowds. The plan is to transport her by plane to an ocean sanctuary in the waters between Washington and Canada, where she will initially swim inside a large net while trainers and veterinarians teach her how to catch fish. The orca would be under 24-hour care until she acclimates to her new surroundings. The relocation plan still faces hurdles to gaining government approval and could cost up to $20 million.