Winter the dolphin, star of ‘Dolphin Tale,’ dies at Florida aquarium
This browser does not support the video element.
By Theresa Seiger and Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Winter, the prosthetic-tailed dolphin at the center of 2011′s “Dolphin Tale” movie, has died at an aquarium in Clearwater, Florida, after tests earlier this week indicated that she was fighting a gastrointestinal infection.
The aquarium announced the dolphin died Thursday night, WFTV reported.
“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,” Veterinarian Dr. Shelly Marquardt said in a news release, according to WFTV. “I’m honored to work alongside such dedicated and talented professionals who gave their all for Winter.”
Original story: Officials with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium said Wednesday that tests showed that Winter’s “intestinal abnormalities have intensified” despite treatment from the aquarium’s animal care experts. Staff members first noticed that the 16-year-old dolphin “wasn’t acting like her normal self” and appeared to be uninterested in eating on Nov. 1.
“The dedicated CMA animal care experts are consulting with top animal care and veterinary specialists in the country and exploring all possible options to save Winter’s life,” aquarium officials said in a statement. “She is our top priority.”
Dr. James “Buddy” Powell, the aquarium’s executive director, on Thursday told the Tampa Bay Times that intestinal issues are not uncommon in marine mammals like Winter.
“Actually, Winter before this has had some of these issues, but this time it has just continued to progress,” he told the newspaper. “There are treatments, but she hasn’t responded. So it still is a little bit of a mystery as to what caused it.”
To focus on caring for Winter, the aquarium will close to the public on Friday, with plans to reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday. On the recommendation of medical care staff, officials said they will limit views of the dolphin after the aquarium reopens.
Winter has been at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium since 2005, after she became entangled in a crab trapline and lost her tail.
“During this time, she has faced many health challenges due to her injury,” aquarium officials said in a statement. “She continues to show a strong, determined and fighting spirit, and her resiliency continues to inspire us all.”
Winter’s recovery and the process to get her fitted with a prosthetic tail was chronicled in “Dolphin Tail,” starring Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Morgan Freeman. The movie was filmed at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with Winter starring as herself.
Winter also appeared in 2014′s “Dolphin Tale 2,” which focused on Hope, another dolphin who has been at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium since she was rescued in 2010.
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31, photo, Winter the dolphin swims at Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31, photo, Winter the dolphin swims at Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31, photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone kisses Winter the dolphin during a show Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31, photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium trainer Cindy Farber reaches out to touch Winter the dolphin on the nose in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31, photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone fits Winter the dolphin with a prosthetic tail in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug. 31 photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone, right, grabs Winter the dolphin's prosthetic fluke as Emily Egan holds her Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin FILE - In this July 26, 2007 file photo, Winter, a tailless dolphin, rests on her mat at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Fla. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium was heavily featured in the 2011 film Dolphin Tale, which told a fictionalized account of Winter the dolphin. The film reached audiences world wide and brought thousands of visitors to the aquarium. The aquariums story is one that Film Florida, a lobbying group for the states entertainment industry, pushed recently when a delegation of filmmakers and others met with lawmakers in Tallahassee about extending the states incentive program for luring movie and TV production. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) (Chris O'Meara/AP)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug 31, 2011 photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone, left, shows Winter the dolphin to J.C. Barton, center, of Williamson, N.Y., and Kelsie Castagne, of Carmel, N.Y., in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin FILE - Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone works with Winter the dolphin in Clearwater, Fla., Aug. 3, 2011. Officials say the prosthetic-tailed dolphin that starred in the "Dolphin Tale" movies may be fighting a gastrointestinal infection. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium announced Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, that staff members noticed a week earlier that Winter was acting abnormally and not eating. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) (Chris O'Meara/AP)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug 31 photo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium trainer Cindy Farber works with dolphins Winter, right, and Panama in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Winter the dolphin In this Aug 31 photo, Winter the dolphin swims in a tank in Clearwater, Fla. The nonprofit public aquarium was about ready to go belly-up at the end of 2005 when Winter, the bottlenose dolphin was brought there after getting her tail tightly entangled in a crab-trap line. Winter plays herself in "Dolphin Tale," a family-friendly 3-D movie starring Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson, opening Sept. 23.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS)