Clearwater Marine Aquarium

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization^[2][3] and aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. 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, in a former water treatment plant (the large tanks being well-suited for rehabilitation operations).

Numerous forms of marine life are permanent residents at the aquarium, all of which have serious injuries that prevent their return to the wild.

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 the sequel, Dolphin Tale 2, shot partially on location at the aquarium.^[4]

History

In 1972, a group of private volunteers decided it was time to establish a permanent marine biology learning center in the Clearwater area. They were incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the name Clearwater Marine Science Center (CMSC). In 1978, the city of Clearwater agreed to donate the aquarium's current facility, an abandoned water treatment plant, to CMSC. With its huge holding tanks and bayside location, the building was a perfect fit for a marine facility's needs. In 1979, marine biologist Dennis Kellenberger was hired as CMSC's Executive Director. Kellenberger's main duties were teaching summer camp classes for children and spearheading a massive remodeling effort of the facility. Gradually, the cement and steel building was modified for aquarium purposes and in 1980 was granted a USDA Research Facility permit, allowing it to prepare two 65,000 gallon tanks for the rehabilitation of dolphins, whales and sea turtles. In 1981, the first exhibit room was opened to the public. The room featured old exhibits from the Sea-Orama, a mounted fish exhibit which was formerly on display at the Clearwater Marina. Over the next few years, thanks to individual and corporate donations and immense volunteer efforts, CMSC continued to grow. In 1984, CMSC rescued a stranded Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named "Sunset Sam". This was the first dolphin in Florida to survive a beaching. However, due to chronic liver problems, Sunset could not be released into the wild and became CMSC's first resident dolphin. Sunset Sam was taught how to paint as a form of animal enrichment, and the sales of his paintings were used to fund the CMSC's operations and stranding program. In the 1990s, as renovations continued to provide more public area and education programs, the facility's name was changed to Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) to reflect the increasing level of community interaction. In 2005, CMA's most famous permanent resident, a bottlenose dolphin named Winter, was rescued by CMA after being discovered entangled in the ropes of a crab trap. The ropes cut off the blood supply to the dolphin's tail, and resulted in its loss. To give Winter the ability to swim normally, CMA worked with a team of experts to create a prosthetic silicone and plastic tail for her. Winter's story brought international recognition to CMA and inspired two major films, Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2, each of which was partially filmed at the aquarium.

Animals

Clearwater Marine Aquarium currently is home to North American river otters, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, green sea turtles, Kemp's ridley sea turtles, a hawksbill sea turtle, cownose rays, southern stingrays, nurse sharks, great white pelicans, and other fish, including gag, hogfish, and red drum. Each permanent resident was rescued by CMA and is unable to return to the wild due to injuries or other impairments.

Dolphins

Winter

Winter, the most famous aquarium resident, is a female Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who was rescued in 2005 after being 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 an unnatural side to side motion, but because this was damaging her spinal cord, a prosthetic tail was made especially for her by Kevin Carroll and a team of experts from Hanger, Inc.. Winter starred in the 2011 movie Dolphin Tale and the 2014 sequel Dolphin Tale 2, which was inspired by her story and the sequel inspired on Hope's story. She currently resides in the "Winter Zone" tank along with another female dolphin named Hope.

Hope

Hope is the newest resident dolphin at CMA. In December 2010, she was discovered in the shallows of Indian River Lagoon as an orphaned 2-month-old calf, still attempting to nurse from her mother, who had died after becoming beached. It was ultimately determined that Hope did not make a good candidate for release because she was very young and had not learned the necessary survival skills to be out in the wild. Hope currently resides in the same tank as Winter, and co-starred in Dolphin Tale 2, a sequel to the original movie which dramatized her rescue.

Nicholas

Nicholas is an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, and the only male dolphin currently residing at CMA. On December 24, 2002, he was rescued with his mother as a 6-month-old calf after both became stranded near Gibsonton, Florida. The mother dolphin died three days later due to respiratory illness. Nicholas remained in critical condition, suffering both from malnourishment and severe sunburns which covered over thirty percent of his body. CMA provided 24-hour care for Nicholas for several months, bottlefeeding him and providing wound care. Nicholas was eventually weaned by the animal care staff at CMA, and his wounds completely healed. Like Hope, it was determined that Nicholas did not make a suitable candidate for release because of his dependent status at the time of his stranding and rehabilitation. He lacks the necessary survival skills, which he could only learn from his mother, to survive in the wild. Nicholas lives in his own tank on the aquarium's "Dolphin Terrace". Nicholas featured briefly in the movie Dolphin Tale, playing a female dolphin alongside Panama named Christa. He appears in Dolphin Tale 2, portraying Mandy.

Sharks

The aquarium is home to two fully-grown Nurse sharks, Thelma and Louise. A private collector illegally took the sharks out of the wild as young pups. When the animals outgrew their tank, the collector could no longer care for them and donated the animals to CMA. At the aquarium, they share an exhibit with hogfish, red drum, gag, spotted eels, mangrove snapper, black sea bass, common snook, pinfish, red grouper, lookdown, and white grunt.

Sea turtles

Clearwater Marine Aquarium currently has seven green sea turtles, three Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and one hawksbill sea turtle. Many of them were rescued by CMA after being hit by boats, entangled in fishing line, or sustaining other permanent injuries that prevent their return to the wild. They permanently reside in the "Turtle Cove", "Turtle Bayou", and "Sawyer's Passage" exhibits.

North American river otters

There are three male North American river otters permanently residing in the Otter Oasis exhibit at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Cooper was rescued by CMA in 2001 after being hit by a car, which paralyzed his hind legs. Oscar was found in a parking lot by the Florida SPCA as an orphaned pup in 2009. He was transferred to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where he was bottle-raised. Due to Oscar's dependence on humans, he cannot be released into the wild. Walle was rescued from the wild as an orphaned pup by a private individual, and was transferred to CMA after becoming too dependent on humans.

Pelicans

Two African great white pelicans, Ricky and Lucy, reside at the aquarium. They are the aquarium's only residents that are not native to Florida. Ricky and Lucy were bred and trained in captivity by a film company to play the role of "Rufus" for the film Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2.

Rays

Twelve cownose rays and two southern stingrays currently reside in the Stingray Beach and Touch Tank exhibits, where they can be touched and fed by aquarium visitors.

Past residents

CMA is known for having many animals in the past. Two otters that were sold include females Bella and Bogey. Three dolphins have died at the aquarium. Sunset Sam died in 2001. Panama died of natural causes in 2013. In 2012, Indy, a young male, died leaving Nicholas to be the last male. CMA has rescued a large amount of sea turtles such as Abe, Orchid, Alice, Cooper, among other names. CMA once rescued a young sperm whale named George. Due to his apparent illnesses, George died 43 days after rescue.

2016 planned expansion

Clearwater Marine Aquarium unveiled its design for a new facility that will be located in downtown Clearwater, slated to break ground Fall 2015. The new plan portrays a marine rescue center that allows visitors to experience and be educated on marine life. Featuring rescued animals along with a working animal hospital, the new facility will provide an even greater experience to the general public to understand the impact humans have on marine life and the importance of preserving our environment. Included in the plans is an interactive otter habitat, dolphin viewing area, an animal release educational exhibit along with an opportunity for guests to be involved in participatory mock dolphin rescues.

References

• http://www.seewinter.com/assets/downloads/2012AnnualReport.pdf

External links

• Official website