Injured dolphin in need of tail
Hey all,
I thought you might like this story about Winter, the dolphin, who needs a new tail. Last December, she was tangled in a crab trap line in Mosquito Lagoon at Canaveral National Seashore. Clearwater Marine Aquarium hopes to raise at least $100,000 to pay for the tail.
To read more on this story, Click Here
Is anyone out there involved with Clearwater Marine Aquarium who can tell us more about the fund raiser for Winter? Anyone have a picture of Winter to send to me, so I can post it in the Blog?
Let’s keep our prayers for Winter and her success.
GB
John
September 26th, 2006 at 10:24 am
I was just wondering that when u find out what is going on with fundraising, you could send me the information. I would love to give some money or something. Thanks
September 27th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
I used to live in Florida, and was a volunteer at CMA when Winter came to them. I was one of the first volunteers to spend a shift with her in the water, helping feed her and keep her afloat, and have some VERY good pictures of her tail just days before it fell off. I moved away shortly after the first of the year though, and am not sure what all fundraisers are going on for her right now. I DID just see that the Today Show did a segment on her today (Sept. 27) and have video of her swimming and working with her trainers. You can go to msn.com and go to the video section, and her video should be there. Hope you enjoy seeing her swim as much as I did!!
September 27th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
For more info and photos, check out:
http://blog.robertlafollette.com/2006/09/dolphin-watching.html
and
http://blog.robertlafollette.com/2006/09/winter.html
September 29th, 2006 at 9:28 am
Kamella,
Do you have time to write a little more about your experience with Winter at CMA? What you did with Winter? And your general day at CMA as a volunteer?
Would you want to share your pictures of Winters. I can post it on the blog? You can send them to john@dolphinworld.org.
I had a hard time finding the video you mentioned. Can find the link and post it here also? Thanks!
GB,
John
September 29th, 2006 at 9:33 am
Janet,
Here is some cool photos of Winter from the CMA’s website, go to:
http://www.cmaquarium.org/Winter%20-%20baby%20bottlenose%20dolphin.htm
And you can call them about the fund raising efforts, Telephone: (727) 441-1790.
If you call them, would you let us all know what they say?
Thank you,
GB,
John
September 30th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
I would love to donate and and gather contributions for Winters new tail, I have emailed the aquarium, but the email keeps coming back undelivered.
Can someone please tell me who and where I could contact someone about organizing a campaign to raise funds.
Thankx!
Debi
October 4th, 2006 at 9:29 am
Hi Debi,
I just talked to Dana Zucker at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and she said you can email her directly for donations or other information about Winter. Email to: dzucker@cmaquarium.org
GB,
John
October 4th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
I too have been volunteering at CMA for almost 2 years now and know Kamella. Hi how have you been?!
Anyways, I did a shift with Winter a day after she came in and her tail had already started to fall off. There was no blood flow what so ever to her entire tail upon arrival and within a few days it fell off on its own. There was no surgery to remove it, just had to cut one tendon after making sure that there was, in fact, no feeling left in it.
Her first few weeks were touch and go. Volunteers and staff, and I had to spend 24/7 in the rehab pool with her keeping her afloat.
She quickly regained spunk and began consistantly bottle feeding. She is now eating 9 lbs. of food a day, whereas her poolmate Panama is eating 17 lbs, and weighs in at about 110-115 lbs. Panama is almost 450 for size comparison purposes.
She has a very effective, yet highly modified, swimming technique and is very playful. She is incredibly smart and is picking up on training quickly. She has four to five training sessions daily and is already trained in many husbandry behaviors, the most important behaviors trained.
I hope that this answers some more questions that all of you guys in cyberspace have. If not, fell free to inquire more.
By the way, the pictures you have of Panama, Nicholas, Winter, and my favorite Indy…even Madam and Val (the green sea turtles) are amazing. I don’t even have pictures that good of them. Haha
October 5th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Wow, so many people have been touched by Winter, right on. Let’s see if CMA is able to raise enough money to get the new tail and soon.
Any fund raisers going on, please let us all know.
If anyone else any stories from CMA, bring it on, we all want to hear them.
GB,
John