Tokitae, jise zyada tar log Lolita ke naam se jaante hain, ek shandar orca thi jo kai saalon tak Miami Seaquarium ka hissa rahi. Uski kahani ek aise jeevan ka darpan hai jo bandhan aur azaadi ke beech jhoolta raha. Janm se lekar uske antim din tak, Tokitae ki zindagi duniya bhar ke paryavaran premi aur wildlife activists ke beech ek garam vishay bani rahi.
Tokitae ka janm 1966 mein hua tha, jab use ek chhoti orca ke roop mein Washington state ke Pacific Ocean se pakda gaya tha. Uska asli naam Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut tha, jo ek indigenous naam tha aur iska matlab hai “jo chalti hai jheelon aur samundaron ke beech”. Use ek aquarium ke liye pakda gaya aur phir Miami Seaquarium mein laaya gaya, jahan usne lagbhag 50 saal guzaare. Itni lambi avadhi tak ek chhoti tanki mein rehna ek orca ke liye asamanya hai, kyunki prakritik roop se ye samudri prani khule samundar mein lambe safar karne ke liye jane jaate hain.
Kai saalon tak, janata aur activists ne Tokitae ko azaadi dilane ki maang uthayi. Uska tank bohot chhota tha, jisme wo apne prakritik swabhav ke anusar movement nahi kar sakti thi. Orcas samuhik jeevan pasand karte hain, lekin Tokitae ko akela rakha gaya, jo uski manasik aur sharirik sehat par asar daal raha tha. Is wajah se ek bada andolan shuru hua jisme log chahte the ki use uske janm sthal Pacific Northwest ke khule paaniyon mein wapas bheja jaye.
Antatah, 2022 mein, Seaquarium ke naye malik banne ke baad, yeh faisla liya gaya ki Tokitae ko azaadi di jayegi. Ek bade yojna ke tahat use khule samundar mein le jaane ki tayari ki gayi. Yojna thi ki use ek bada, prakritik enclosement diya jaye jahan wo apni marzi se ji sake aur shayad apne parivaar se mil sake.
Lekin afsos ki baat yeh hai ki yeh sapna pura hone se pehle hi, August 2023 mein, Tokitae ka dehant ho gaya. Uski tabiyat pehle se hi kharab chal rahi thi, aur antim dino mein uska sharir kamzor pad gaya. Halanki veterinary doctors aur specialists ne uski dekhbhal mein koi kasar nahi chhodi, lekin wo bach nahi saki.
Aaj Tokitae ek yaad ban chuki hai, lekin uska safar logo ke dimaag aur dilon mein zinda hai. Uski kahani sirf ek orca ki kahani nahi hai, balki ye ek bada prashn uthata hai ki kya hume samudri jeevon ko captivity mein rakhna chahiye? Uska jeevan aur antim vidaya wildlife conservation aur ethical treatment of marine animals ki disha mein ek bade sandesh ke roop mein dekha jata hai. Log ab bhi uski yaad mein andolan kar rahe hain, taaki anya orcas ko bhi natural environment mein jeene ka adhikar mil sake.
Tokitae ab iss duniya mein nahi hai, lekin uski kahani hamesha hume yaad dilayegi ki prakritik swatantrata ka koi vikalp nahi hota.
