Clearwater Marine Aquarium's Apollo the dolphin dies, marking 5th death in the last 19 months

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The staff at Clearwater Marine Aquarium is grieving the loss of another dolphin.

Four-year-old Apollo died Monday, CMA said, after fighting gastrointestinal discomfort since March. He’s the fifth dolphin to die at the aquarium in the last 19 months and the third just this year.

Pictured: Clearwater Marine Aquarium's Apollo the dolphin. 

Staff helped rescue Apollo in 2021 after he was stranded on Playalinda, Florida. CMA said he had parasites on a lot of his body, stomach and lung inflammation and had significant hearing loss.

Most of the aquarium’s marine animals have been rescued, are injured or are sick and can’t be released back into the wild. 

Apollo, a 4-year-old dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, is the fifth dolphin to die at the aquarium in the last 19 months. 

"Our team is heartbroken by Apollo's passing," Dr. James "Buddy" Powell, the chief zoological officer for CMA, said. 

"The welfare and well-being of our animals have always been our top priority at Clearwater Marine Aquarium," Dr. Powell said. "Apollo was a beloved member of our CMA family, and his passing has left a void in our hearts. This serves as a reminder of the profound impact these animals have on our lives and the importance of our conservation efforts. We will continue to learn from Apollo's life. We would like to express our gratitude to the dedicated staff and veterinary professionals who worked tirelessly to provide the best possible care for Apollo. Their expertise, compassion, and commitment to the well-being of our animals are admirable."

A necropsy is scheduled to determine Apollo’s cause of death.

Winter the dolphin, who inspired the movie "Dolphin Tale," died in 2021 from intestinal torsion, or twisted organs. Winter was 16-years-old. 

Pictured: Clearwater Marine Aquarium staff in the water with Winter the dolphin. 

She was rescued in 2005 after getting entangled in a crab trap and losing her tail. Winter got fitted for a prosthetic tail at CMA.

Rex the dolphin died in March. He arrived at CMA in 2020 after he was found stranded off of St. George Island. Rex stopped eating a few days before he died and had 24-hour care, CMA said.

Winter the dolphin was a Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescue with a well-known story that turned into the movie "Dolphin Tale."

In January, Hemingway died. Hemingway was 37 years old and died from a suspected gastrointestinal condition. He was found stranded off Fiesta Key in 2019, and joined CMA in 2020. 

He had hearing loss and ongoing health concerns, CMA said. 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium announced a third party, made up of veterinarians would review the dolphins' habitats, water quality, vet care, animal welfare and environment. 

P.J. died in October. He was 51 years old and rescued in Old Tampa Bay in 2018. She came to CMA in 2019 and had hearing and vision loss.

In March, CMA announced a third party, made up of five experts, including vets, would review the dolphins’ habitats, water quality, vet care, animal welfare and environmental impact. 

CMA CEO Joe Handy told the Associated Press at the time, "The animals that come to us are already challenged … The reason they come to us is because they can’t survive on their own. They are deemed non-releasable, so we do our best to help them and ensure they live as long as they can."

Monday, CMA said the experts conducted that review a couple of weeks ago, and are still writing up and preparing the information. CMA released the following statement: 

"For 50 years, CMA has been a leader in marine mammal care and dolphin rehabilitation. As the only organization in the United States with its resident dolphin population composed entirely of stranded, rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable animals, CMA continues to be at the forefront of progressive dolphin research and the first response to dolphins requiring emergency, life-saving care.  All of the dolphins placed with CMA or transferred to CMA were at one point deemed ‘non-releasable’ by National Marine Fisheries Service."

Grief counselors will be available at CMA for employees this week. The aquarium now has three bottlenose dolphins and two rough-toothed dolphins.