He was found stranded on a mudflat in Tampa Bay suffering from dehydration, pneumonia, sunburn, and malnutrition. CMA's Stranding Response Team brought Sunset to the Aquarium to begin a rehabilitation program, and during this period of time it was found that he has a visual impairment in his right eye, as well as a liver disorder. Because of the constant care Sunset requires in order to survive, CMA provides a permanent home for him. Sunset was born around 1978, weighs 470 pounds, is over 9 feet in length, and resides in a 350,000 gallon natural sea water pool which is 17 feet deep. The marine mammal trainers work with Sunset each day on physical and mental stimulating behaviors, as well as husbandry or medical management behaviors.
Daily enrichment is provided to ensure a positive, stimulating environment.
The trainers provide a variety of toys of different sizes, textures, shapes and colors, interactive play and training sessions throughout the day. Sam's Latest Project. . . The CMA trainers have been working in conjunction with researchers from New College, USF, Sarasota, Florida on a cross-modal research project studying a dolphin's echoic ability to visual acuity. Sunset has been a subject in this project for over one year and is working on the final stages of this research venture. Click here to view his latest work.