Forty years ago, a young killer whale was swimming with her family in the Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound when, within minutes, life was forever changed for the southern resident killer whales.

Speedboats, helicopters and cherry bombs were used to herd the whales into Penn Cove, off Whidbey Island. By the time the capture crew had finished, five whales were dead and another seven had been loaded on to flatbed trucks for sale to aquariums.

The 40th anniversary will be commemorated Sunday in Victoria and Penn Cove with renewed calls for the release of Lolita, the only survivor from the years of captures.

Lolita has spent four decades at Miami Seaquarium in the smallest killer whale tank in the U.S., sparking regular protests and pleas for her release.

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