News of 2023

This page features news about CMA's dolphins from 2023.

Dates are sorted from the beginning towards the end of the year.

## January

**13th** - Nicholas and Apollo were able to "meet through a gate" a few days ago when one of the gates, while not open, was see through. Ridgway was moved into the Dolphin Nursery at SeaWorld Orlando on the 4th! Dash has "adopted" him and taking care of him like her own calf.

**24th** - 37 year old Hemingway passed away in the early mornings of yesterday. Speculation had gone around after web cams showed him in the medical pool for several days being treated for an unknown issue.

"Our team is heartbroken this morning. At approximately 1:30 a.m. today our beloved rescued dolphin Hemingway passed away, surrounded by his Animal Care and Veterinary teams.

Hemingway was estimated to be about 37 years old. He was found stranded off Fiesta Key, Florida in July 2019 and joined Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s family in June 2020 after he was deemed non releasable due to hearing loss and ongoing health concerns. Hemingway lived at the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex with Apollo and Nicholas.

Animal Care staff noticed a change in Hemingway’s behavior late last week and began treating him for a suspected gastrointestinal condition. CMA’s Veterinary team contacted veterinary experts, including our veterinary radiologist who assisted us in the past with GI diagnosis and treatment.

Together, our team did all that was possible to keep Hemingway comfortable. He will be missed by us all. A necropsy will be performed in an attempt to determine the cause of death.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is proud to provide a home to rescued, non-releasable, and compromised animals, like Hemingway, who need managed care. For the past 50 years, we have served as a marine animal hospital and champion for marine life conservation. During his time with us, CMA staff was able to share Hemingway’s story and the importance of protecting dolphins in the wild. Our team learned new practices and continued to improve our approach in caring for dolphins with hearing loss. We are forever grateful for the time we had with Hemingway and are proud of our staff and volunteers for the level of care we provide to all the animals in our care.

We appreciate all the love and support from our community as we mourn his passing."

https://www.cmaquarium.org/animals/dolphins/hemingway-the-dolphin/

## February

**17th** - CMA has rescued a Rough Toothed dolphin, and she is currently under rehabilitation at the Tarpoon Springs facility. She was rescued by Mote Marine Laboratory on the 10th of February after people continuously tried releasing her.

"A resilient, young rough-toothed dolphin, is being rehabilitated at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Fred Howard Park location after the animal was found stranded on Longboat Key last week.

On Friday, Feb. 10  at 6:00 p.m. Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) received a report from NOAA that MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium was responding to a young, female rough-toothed dolphin stranded off Longboat Key. MOTE assessed the animal’s health and transported the animal to CMA for rehabilitation at its Fred Howard Park location.

'The dolphin remains in critical condition but is stable and swimming, which is a hopeful sign,' said veterinarian Dr. Shelly Marquardt with Clearwater Marine Aquarium. 'We are running full health assessments and continue to monitor the dolphin’s condition. Our goal is to determine the cause of her stranding and provide the care she needs for rehabilitation.'

The veterinary staff at CMA continues to assess what may have caused the stranding. There were reports of beachgoers attempting to push the animal back to the water before trained professionals arrived on the scene.

'This life-saving work is at the core of our mission as a working marine animal hospital,' said CEO Joe Handy. 'Our team of experts will provide round-the-clock care. We are steadfast in our efforts to rehabilitate and release this dolphin back to Florida waters. I’m proud of our highly-trained professionals that provide exceptional care on a moment’s notice.'

The juvenile rough-toothed dolphin is a female weighing 156 lbs. upon intake and 198 cm. According to NOAA Fisheries, this species can get up to 8.5 feet long, 350 lbs. and have a lifespan of 36 years. Rough-toothed dolphins are usually found in tight-knit groups of 10 to 20 individuals but have been reported in groups of up to 100 individuals. They often associate with other cetacean species, including short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins.

If you see a marine mammal in distress, it’s important to remember not to intervene, and call trained responders at (877) WHALE-HELP. Please remain at a safe distance, and if conditions allow, take photos to share with biologists once they arrive on scene.

This is the first dolphin to be rehabilitated at CMA’s Fred Howard Park rehab facility since 2020, when Rudolph, another rough-toothed dolphin, was transported and rehabilitated there."

https://mission.cmaquarium.org/news/a-resilient-dolphin-rehabbing-at-clearwater-marine-aquarium/

Video: https://www.youtub.com/watch?v=fxtUVvQrKa0

## March

**7th** - If you have not already heard, Rex has recently showed signs of being ill, and is currently under 24 hour watch.

"Last week, Rex, our 8-year-old dolphin began showing signs of discomfort, he is under the constant care of our veterinarians and animal care teams. The team is closely monitoring his behavior and running diagnostic tests to help determine his situation. In the meantime, staff are working around the clock to keep him comfortable."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpdVNOSui2F/

For all those concerned, Rudolph II seems to be doing well.

Not quite two hours after I(Katerina Studios) wrote the statement above, CMA posted on their Instagram that Rex passed away yesterday(6th of March).

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of resident rough-toothed dolphin, Rex. It was our privilege to care for Rex, he was loved by our CMA family and guests from around the world. The knowledge, research, and lessons Rex taught us will help us care for his species in the future.

As a working marine animal hospital, CMA specializes in providing care to marine animals that need recovery and rehabilitation before being released or providing a forever home to those that cannot be released due to physical limitation.

Rex came to CMA in 2020 with health challenges and was determined to have significant hearing loss making him non-releasable. For several years his health remained stable, but last week animal care staff noticed a change in Rex’s behavior, including his decline in eating. When his condition worsened, animal care staff intervened to monitor him 24 hours a day and provide Rex veterinary support and care to keep him comfortable. Despite extensive efforts, Rex passed away on March 6. A necropsy, which is like an autopsy for a human, is scheduled to try and determine the cause of death.

We are thankful for your kindness and support during this time."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpfhGFvKMQN/

**19th** - There has been an unofficial statement going around by CMA that Apollo is ill. While the information in the statement is correct, no official statement has been made. Apollo has been in and out of the medical pool, however yesterday he seemed to be active with trainers.

"We have been monitoring Apollo closely for the last couple days. On Thursday Apollo responded with odd behavior to a routine checkup. The animal care and veterinary teams gave him immediate attention until he started behaving normally again in the water and continued to keep a close eye on him. He interacted as expected with the team and was later doing well with the other dolphins and swam into other pools on Friday. He has been eating and participating.

Yesterday afternoon he showed some behavioral signs of discomfort and he swam back into our medical pool for observation. We will continue to monitor him for the next few days and you may see us making adjustments to stimuli, pools and companions until he's back to his normal routine."

Update: It's an official post and was a reply to a comment under a specific post in a CMA fan group on Facebook.

**31st** - I(Katerina Studios) went to CMA today, and was told Apollo is getting better! He is being tube fed medicine and other things, as well as getting very spoiled. He is in the medical pool just incase sometime bad happens, and so his progress is monitored more closely.

## April

**6th** - Awesome news for CMA! The female rough toothed dolphin, although not yet named, has been selected as a permanent resident at CMA! She is 100% deaf, however is she is active and doing very well.

"Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) will welcome its newest rescued resident later this year, a rough-toothed dolphin. The organization has both internal and external experts who possess extensive knowledge regarding this particular species. The aquarium is one of only two facilities with expertise in caring for rough-toothed dolphins in North America.

On Feb. 10, CMA received a report and responded to a young, female rough-toothed dolphin stranded off Longboat Key. MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium assessed the animal’s health and transported the animal to CMA for rehabilitation at its Fred Howard Park location. There were reports of beachgoers attempting to push the dolphin back to the water before trained professionals arrived on the scene. When the dolphin arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Fred Howard Park facility, she had a mild infection that was treated by CMA veterinarians. Stranding on a beach may cause mild stress to internal organs due to the weight of the animal out of water. Thanks to the supportive care and attention from CMA’s dedicated animal care and veterinary team, this dolphin is now swimming on her own and eating well.

'She has made significant progress in her rehabilitation since she first arrived,' said stranding coordinator Abby Stone. 'Through specialized care and expertise with this species, we have seen firsthand how a stranded dolphin can recover and flourish at our rehab facility. It’s truly remarkable to witness her resilience as she regains her strength and health.'

The rough-toothed dolphin underwent a hearing test on March 9 to determine her ability to survive in the wild. Experts from the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted the test and found that the dolphin has severe hearing loss, meaning that she cannot echolocate. Echolocation is essential for finding food and avoiding predators. Due to this hearing deficit, NMFS deemed this dolphin non-releasable and identified CMA as her final placement location because of their expertise with the species and the companionship of another rough-toothed dolphin.

Rough-toothed dolphins are usually found in tight-knit groups of 10 to 20 individuals but have been reported in groups of up to 100 individuals. They often associate with other cetacean species, including short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins and spinner dolphins. Companionship is crucial for their overall development and well-being, especially for young dolphins. Without social interaction, they may experience stress and abnormal behaviors, which can impact their health and survival.

'Given that socialization plays a crucial role in promoting optimal social development and reducing stress, she would be an ideal partner for our other rough-toothed dolphin, Rudy,' said Kelly Martin, director of animal care. 'Suitable companions provide the necessary socialization and stimulation for optimal physical and mental health.'

Known for its dedication to the care and rehabilitation of marine animals, CMA routinely partners with outside experts. The Aquarium is currently collaborating with faculty and students at the Frick Animal Behavior Laboratory at Eckerd College. The goal of this research is to assess individual differences in rough-toothed dolphins through the use of behavioral coding, and create behavioral profiles for all animals. The results can be applied in a variety of contexts such as during animal introductions, changes in their habitat and more. This is beneficial for species rehabilitation and welfare prior to release.

'We’re proud to be leaders in marine mammal care and dolphin rehabilitation,' said CEO Joe Handy. 'Our partnerships with outside experts allow us to conduct cutting-edge research and contribute to the broader scientific community’s knowledge of marine mammal behavior and welfare,' said Handy. 'Our dedicated team works tirelessly to understand and care for dolphins. CMA is ready and able to continue caring for this vulnerable species.'

If the public sees a marine mammal in distress, it’s important to remember not to intervene, and call trained responders at (877) WHALE-HELP. The public should remain at a safe distance, and if conditions allow, take photos to share with biologists once they arrive on scene."

https://mission.cmaquarium.org/news/clearwater-marine-aquarium-to-welcome-rescued-rough-toothed-dolphin/

## May

**15th** - Apollo turns 4 today! He also moved out of the med pool around a week ago after battling health issues for two months.

In other news, on the 10th of May, 2023, CMA rescued a young bottlenose dolphin calf in New Port Richey. Epic Tails Charters originally found the calf and later called Florida Fish and Wildlife for help, in which the Clearwater Marine Aquarium was later call to the scene. ETC says the calf "was taken to meet the Clearwater Marine Aquarium", however it was later confirmed that the calf was not taken to any known CMA facility. At the moment, it is not publicly known where the calf is being rehabilitated, though ETC states that the calf is doing very well. Sadly, based on its very young age, the calf has (unofficially) been deemed nonreleasable.

**16th** - Update from the calf above: it's a young male with whiskers, indicating he was under a week older, likely born a few days or even the day before the rescue. He was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.

In other news, the rough-toothed female has been named Rosie, and she has moved inside to the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex! She will be introduced to Rudy within the next few months after she adapts to her new environment.

## June

**12th** - CMA released an update on Apollo earlier this morning addressing that health has decreased, but unfortunately a statement regarding his passing was announced a little over 2 hours later.

"We are saddened to share the passing of Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Apollo, age 4, who lived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium since 2021 after being found stranded. As a working marine animal hospital, CMA specializes in providing care to marine animals that need recovery and rehabilitation before being released or providing a forever home to those that cannot be released due to physical limitation.

Apollo was stranded on Playalinda, FL, in May 2021. Apollo was found with health challenges including parasites on his dorsal fin, pectoral fins, and fluke along with stomach and lung inflammation. He was also determined to have significant hearing loss making him non-releasable.

In March, Apollo appeared to show signs of discomfort, for months CMA’s dedicated veterinary and animal care teams have closely monitored and modified Apollo’s diet and regimen. He was showing signs of progress until this morning, his health appeared to decline again. Our team immediately intervened and Apollo received veterinary support and care to keep him comfortable. Despite our best efforts, Apollo's condition deteriorated and he sadly passed. A necropsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death.

'Our team is heartbroken by Apollo’s passing. The welfare and well-being of our animals have always been our top priority at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Apollo was a beloved member of our CMA family, and his passing has left a void in our hearts. This serves as a reminder of the profound impact these animals have on our lives and the importance of our conservation efforts. We will continue to learn from Apollo's life. We would like to express our gratitude to the dedicated staff and veterinary professionals who worked tirelessly to provide the best possible care for Apollo. Their expertise, compassion, and commitment to the well-being of our animals are admirable.' said Dr. James 'Buddy' Powell, chief zoological officer for CMA."

It is likely that Apollo died earlier in the morning before any news was made public, considering the first statement(below) was posted so the death statement would not be a "total shocker", similar to Rex's death. It is unknown when necropsy results will come back.

"This morning, our Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Apollo’s health condition appears to have declined and required immediate medical intervention. Since March, our team of highly dedicated animal care specialists and veterinarians have closely monitored Apollo. He is receiving fluids and we will continue to monitor his health. The decks on the third and fourth floors are closed this morning as we continue to keep a close watch on Apollo. We are thankful for your support."

**30th** - Happy 8th birthday, Izzy!

## July

**18th** - Rudolph II and Rosie have been moved to the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex! This comes after CMA's plans to turn the Rescue Deck into a location for housing manatees. The two rough-toothed dolphins will likely stay together(not being paired with the bottlenose's) and will be shown in an underwater viewing pool soon.

## November

**22nd** - The health updates page(launched in June following Apollo's death) shows that Rosie did not eat last night, and was later diagnosed with pancreatitis. She is currently being treated with aggressive medication.

"Rosie did not eat during her regular feeding time this evening and was exhibiting some behavioral changes. Our veterinarian and animal care team are watching her closely to monitor any changes." (21st)

"Our veterinarian and animal care team are continuing to monitor Rosie. This morning they performed diagnostics on her and she appears to have an inflamed pancreas. She also has an unrelated infection. The team is treating her aggressively with medications and supportive care and monitoring her closely. As we receive more health updates on Rosie’s condition, we will share them here." (22nd)

https://mission.cmaquarium.org/news/resident-dolphin-health-updates/