A beautiful, gentle dolphin tragically died at the Dolphin Adventure Aquarium in Orlando, Florida, according to TMZ.
Winter, an iconic animal at the center, was taken off exhibit early Saturday morning due to an undisclosed medical emergency. An investigation by the marine mammal organization SeaWorld has been launched to determine what caused the dolphin’s sudden death.
Winter was no stranger to controversy, and in 2016, she was found unconscious and suffering from “profound dehydration” in Orlando, Florida. The poobah of the center tried to save her, but veterinarians were forced to euthanize her.
Known affectionately by the public as “Dolphin Girl,” Winter was reportedly 36 years old. According to the Orlando Sentinel, she was born in 1976 and was one of only a handful of dolphin calves born in captivity in the United States. Winter won a following thanks to her frequent appearance on the TV show Dolphin Tale, in which she starred opposite actor Harry Connick Jr.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full story at the Orlando Sentinel.
Related
North Dakota community names new park after late celebrity dolphin Winter
Curious dolphins in Saudi Arabia may have been ‘wandering’ and not attack tourists
Dolphin helps feed manatees in France