@1 Did you get far enough into the piece to see that (1) Lolita's presumed mother is still alive in the wild, (2) southern residents stay with their mothers for life, and (3) no one knew who Keiko's family was, which is a different situation than Lolita's? Whether you think it's worth the hassle to allow her to spend the rest of her life in natural waters or ending her life in a man-made pool is a matter of opinion. But the facts in her case don't match the facts of Keiko's.

@3 - Isn't her grandmother also alive?

@3 - By which I mean, she can be returned to her family, which we know still exists, and the notion that she's at such an advanced age isn't really backed up by her family's longevity. She's only at an advanced age for an orca being kept in appalling conditions in captivity.

What about orcas born in captivity? Can they be put into the ocean though not taken from there?