Winter, the star of “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2,” is suffering from a bad infection, says the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
On Sunday, the aquarium posted a press release stating that members of the animal care team noticed on Nov. 1 that Winter was behaving abnormally and not eating. After running some preliminary blood work, staff now believe Winter may be fighting a gastrointestinal infection.
“Our dedicated staff will continue to keep a close watch on her through this healing process and provide her with the highest quality of care,” said aquarium Director of Media Relations Kelsy Long.
The facility has cared for Winter since Dec. 5, 2005, after she was found trapped in a crab ling, which resulted in her losing her tail. A prosthetic tail was later fashioned for Winter, and her story became the inspiration for two feature films, both starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr.
“As we hope for her quick recovery, our team is monitoring Winter around the clock,” added Long. “We will keep the public informed of any change in her condition.”
This is a developing story.
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This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2021.