Her list of visitors include children with cancer, in wheelchairs, wearing prosthesis of their own.and wounded fighting men back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Attendance at the Aquarium has continued to rise since Winter was rescued and brought back to life. A baby dolphin that crews with Clearwater Marine Aquarium tried to rescue Wednesday is in critical condition, the local aquarium explained in an update Thursday.
Winter is now the star attraction at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Not only was she able to propel herself with the normal undulations of a bottlenose dolphin, but Dan's design reversed the scoliosis she had developed by her years of trying to swim like a shark. Winter the dolphin was fitted with a prosthetic tail. They burned through $200,000 and 50 prototypes.but, working with Winter's committed trainer, Abby Stone.they got it right!
Although he knew nothing about dolphins or how to even attach a prosthetic tail to an animal that active.and living in water.he took on the challenge. Kevin Carroll contacted his good friend, Dan Strzempka, who builds prosthetic devices for adults and children in his Sarasota, FL lab. Once again, things looked bleak for Winter the bottlenose dolphin until Kevin Carroll, VP for Hanger Orthopedic Group called to say he could make a prosthetic tail for her. Winter's tail rotted off.and took three vertebrae with it. The horrific hours she spent trapped by the crap pot lines cut off circulation. Winter the dolphin was transported to Clearwater Marine AquariumĬlearwater Aquarium was selected to care for the little bottlenose dolphin.Īlthough Winter fought hard and survived with the patient caring of veterinarian Janine Cianciolo and head trainer, Abby Stone.her tail did not.
It would escape detection by 99% of the normal male population.Ĭalling the emergency number for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jim Savage set in motion the heroic rescue where he, Teresa Mazza, research assistant for the Hubbs-SeaWorld Reasearch Institute and her friend Claire Surrey (from the FWC) would keep little Winter alive until more sophisticated equipment arrived. A subtle difference that only an acutely observant outdoorsman would notice. Pushing off from Canaveral National Seashore, Jim found Winter the dolphin in extreme distress when he went to investigate a crab pot that was unnaturally facing into the wind. On this extremely cold winter day, with the wind bringing chop to the water ahead of a massive cold front, only one fisherman braved the elements. On December 10, 2005, only two months old and weighing just 68 lbs, Winter fought her way to the surface for short breaths before listing again to the side as she gamely tried to keep from drowning.
Trapped in the lines of a crab pot, bleeding, gasping for air, her tail already destroyed by her struggles and lack of circulation to it.little Winter had been abandoned by her family to die all alone. Clearwater, FL is now home to Winter the bottlenose dolphin who was rescued from near-death circumstances in Mosquito Lagoon on the other side of the state. Winter the dolphin is the biggest success story ever at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Resident bottlenose dolphins Hope, Nicholas, and rough-toothed dolphin Rudolph were all rescued during the month of December.Winter The Dolphin Clearwater Marine Aquarium is now home to Winter the bottlenose dolphin December truly is our magical month at CMA.” “Coming off the heels of Winter’s rescue anniversary on December 11th and her death in November, this new dolphin is a burst of new life and energy that our team is so excited to embrace. “We are overjoyed to welcome a new family member to CMA,” said Kelly Martin, VP of Zoological Care. Apollo will join dolphins Hope, PJ, Nicholas, and Hemingway at CMA's Ruth & J.O. The new complex holds a total of 1.5 million gallons of filtered water from Clearwater Bay. However, a hearing test found that the dolphin has atypical hearing loss, compromising his ability to echolocate.Ĭlearwater Marine Aquarium was chosen as Apollo's permanent home. Stone Dolphin Complex, where our rescued bottlenose dolphins live.
Officials say he was thin and had visible parasites on his dorsal fin, pectoral fins, and fluke.Īfter nearly seven months of "intensive treatment and rehabilitation," officials said Apollo's health improved and they expected him to make a full recovery and return to his natural environment. The 2-year-old dolphin, named after his place of rescue on Florida's Space Coast, was found stranded on Playalinda Beach on May 15, 20 miles from where Winter the Dolphin was rescued in 2005.Īpollo was transported to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is welcoming a new rescued resident dolphin named Apollo. Joe Perry lead guitarist and co-songwriter behind Aerosmith living on Longboat Key Head to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to meet dolphins called Winter.