Winter the Dolphin dies at Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Winter the Dolphin, star of the movie “Dolphin Tale” died Thursday night after battling a possible gastrointestinal infection, according to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
The latest update on Wednesday said even though Winter had been receiving treatment her intestinal abnormalities intensified, making her condition “critical.”
The Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, who was widely known for her prosthetic tail, was 16 years old.
Winter made national headlines in 2005 when she was rescued off the Florida coast and taken to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, according to News Channel 8.
Her story inspired the film “Dolphin Tale”, starring Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, and Morgan Freeman.
“While we are heartbroken by Winter’s death, we are comforted knowing that our team did everything possible to give her the best chance at survival. We worked with specialists and marine mammal experts from around the country to provide her with the best care available. Our staff worked around the clock during this challenging time,” said Veterinarian Dr. Shelly Marquardt, DVM, CVA. “I’m honored to work alongside such dedicated and talented professionals who gave their all for Winter.”
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium will be closed on Friday to provide time for the staff to grieve.
More details here.
With heavy hearts, CMA announced tonight that Winter the Dolphin died at approximately 8 p.m. as animal care experts from around the country worked to treat her gastrointestinal abnormality. The CMA family is devastated.
— Clearwater Aquarium (@CMAquarium) November 12, 2021
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