Winter the famous dolphin shares the main pool at Clearwater Marine Aquarium with a new friend, Hope a dolphin with a story similar to Winter.
CLEARWATER – On Dec. 11, 2010, the night that Dolphin Tale wrapped up filming, a call came into Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute that a dolphin calf had been found in the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast of Florida.
The dolphin was evaluated, and in coordination with National Marine Fisheries Service, it was determined that she would be taken to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for rehabilitation.
The dolphin underwent 24-hour care at CMA, receiving rehabilitation and training. She was eventually deemed non-releasable, as she was found at only 2 or 3 months old and could not gain the proper survival skills necessary to live in the wild.
In February 2011, it was determined that the dolphin – which was named Hope – would remain permanently at CMA.
Hope and the famous Winter the dolphin have now been successfully paired in the main pool of CMA, where they will be together for the foreseeable future. This new relationship will allow CMA to expand its inspirational work with people from around the world.
Winter and Hope share a number of things in common. They are both females who were rescued at about 2 months old, they were both rescued in the Indian River Lagoon system, and Hope arrived at CMA exactly five years and one day from the day CMA received Winter. Also, the same rescuer, Theresa Mazza, of Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, who actually held Winter in her arms the day she was rescued, was the one who found and rescued Hope.
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