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Group Protests Outside Miami Seaquarium Calling For Its Closure

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A group gathered outside the Miami Seaquarium on Sunday to demand the facility be shut down.

The rally comes just days after the USDA granted MS Leisure Company Inc. – owner of the Miami Seaquarium – an exhibitor's license under the condition it no longer displays Lolita and Lii, a white-sided dolphin.

But wildlife advocates say more needs to be done.

"It's a step in the right direction but I would not use the word victory. She is still in that crumbling old bathtub that she's been in since 1970," said one demonstrator. "And the other animals are still performing and being exploited, so it is not a victory."

Lolita is the oldest orca in captivity. It's unclear what her future holds.

Officials at the Seaquarium say she's healthy and eating well despite her advanced age.

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