Clearwater Marine Aquarium

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization^[1][2] in Clearwater, Florida, United States, near other aquariums such as the Tarpon Springs Aquarium and The Florida Aquarium. It is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured marine animals, public education, and animal-assisted therapy and research.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium opened in 1972 at its current location on Clearwater Beach, a former water treatment plant (the large tanks being well-suited for rehabilitation operations).

Numerous forms of marine life reside at the aquarium, all have serious injuries which do not permit their return to the wild, and thus become permanent residents.

The aquarium's best-known permanent resident, and the focus of its marketing campaigns, is Winter, a bottlenose dolphin who was rescued in December 2005 after having her tail caught in a crab trap. Her injuries caused the loss of her tail, and the aquarium fitted her with a prosthetic tail which brought worldwide attention to the facility. Winter later starred in the 2011 film, Dolphin Tale, and an upcoming 2014 sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, shot partially on location at the aquarium.^[3]

Animals

Clearwater Marine Aquarium currently is home to three North American river otters, four Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, four Green sea turtles, four Kemp's ridley sea turtles, one Hawksbill sea turtle, twelve Cownose rays, two Southern stingrays, two Nurse sharks and plenty of fish in the Nurse shark exhibit including Gag, Hogfish, and Red drum.

Thelma

Thelma is a fully grown Nurse shark resident at CMA with Louise, they were brought in from a resident who was growing them in a saltwater pool they eventually outgrew and were brought to CMA.

Louise

Louise is a fully grown Nurse shark resident at CMA with Thelma, they were brought in from a resident who was growing them in a saltwater pool they eventually outgrew and were brought to CMA.

Bony fish

In the shark tank, there are hogfish, red drum, gag, spotted eels, mangrove snapper, black sea bass, common snook, pnfish, red grouper, lokdown, and white grunt.

Panama

Panama was a female Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who lived with Winter in one of the two show tanks. At birthday parties there, you could be in a show with her and Winter (mainly Panama). She was well into her 30's. With her old age, Panama was also deaf. She was rescued after she beached herself in Panama City. She was also a begger dolphin and was fed by boaters which led to her teeth being worn down. She died on September 25, 2013.

Winter

Winter is an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin like Panama who lives in the same pool as her. Winter was found beached and caught in a crab trap. She lost her tail due to her injuries Winter developed a way to swim without a tail in a side to side motion. But because it was damaging her spinal cord a prosthetic tail was made for her. She was later able to have a prosthetic tail made especially for her by Kevin Carroll from Hanger Prosthetics.

Nicholas

Nicholas was rescued when he and his mother Noelle were found beached. Clearwater Marine Aquarium believes this is because Noelle fell ill and gave up on life and beached herself. Her calf followed her lead and beached himself with her. Both were rescued terribly ill and with third degree sunburns. Noelle died a few days later but Nicholas has survived and is now the only male dolphin at CMA and in a show nearby Hope's pool. They were named this because of the Christmas season when they were rescued.

Hope

Hope is the newest resident dolphin at CMA. She was rescued after she and her mother were beached. She was found still nursing from her dead mother. Hope shares a pool with Winter and Nicholas.

Rays

There is a large tide pool with, for some reason, very few rays compared to most other aquariums nearby. (like the Florida Aquarium, the Pier Aquarium, and the Tarpon Springs Aquarium) There are twelve cownose rays in the touch pool and two southern stingrays.

Orchid

Orchid is not a permanent resident of CMA, she is being rehabilitated. Many others are being rehabilitated with her.

Cold front turtles

As a result in a cold front in Clearwater before, over two hundred turtles were rescued. Most are Kamp's ridley turtles and Green turtles but they did save a few hawksbill turtles and one logge rhead sea turtle. Many of the turtles have been released but a lot are still at CMA. Sea turtles being rehabilitated are never on display.

Bailey

Bailey is a male green sea turtle kept in a pool with four other turtles. He is a green sea turtle who was hit by a boat. His rear flippers are paralyzed.

Cocoa

Cocoa, a green sea turtle, suffered a severe boat injury where he was hit by a boat motor in the skull. His exhibit is near the otters, the five turtles, the overview of the sharks, and Titus' exhibit right next to him. Cocoa was found on Cocoa Beach giving him his name.

Stubby

Stubby is one of the four green turtles. Stubby lost both of her front flippers when she was caught in a common fishing line. She is kept near Molly.

Titus

Titus is a female green sea turtle who lives near Cocoa. Titus was rescued after being hit by a boat and suffering buoyancy issues. Her issue is often nicknamed "bubble butt" because it causes her rear end to float up.

Madam

Madam is a female Kemp's ridley sea turtle who hatched at CMA. But she could not learn essential survival skills she needs in the wild as a hatchling.

Max

Max is a Kemp's ridley sea turtle and one of the permanent residents at CMA. Max suffers problems because he somehow sustained an injury leaving him mostly blind.

Mollyank

Just like Stubby, she is missing both of her left flippers.

Rob

Rob is a Kemp's ridley sea turtle who is missing the right side of his lower jaw.

Stumpy

Stumpy is the only permanent Hawksbill sea turtle at CMA. Stumpy was part of a research facility. He lacks his front right flipper.

Oscar

Oscar is a young male river otter who was found in a dumpster near a busy parking lot and severely dehydrated. Oscar was starving but is now a healthy and cute resident at CMA.

Cooper

Cooper is one of the three male otters. It is believed that he was hit by a car due to the nature of the injuries of his hind legs, which are paralyzed.

Walle

Walle is the newest member of the CMA Family. He was rescued in Nov. 2012. He is very active and curious and gets along well with the other two otter residents.

Past residents

Died

Atlantic bottlenose dolphins

• Sunset Sam
• Indy
• Panama

Moved

• Bella
• Bogey

References

External links

• Official website