Abby Stone trains Winter the dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Winter is featured in the film Dolphin Tale Environmental Photojournalism
Abby Stone trains Winter the dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. At only three months of age, Winter found herself wrapped tightly in a crab trap line and was unable to escape. She was rescued from Mosquito Lagoon (near Cape Canaveral) and transported to Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida to begin a long rehabilitation. Unfortunately, Winter lost her entire tail as well as two vertebrae a result of the serious injuries that she had sustained.Although her story is intriguing, it is also very rare, as many dolphins unfortunately die in monofilament and crab trap lines. Despite the odds against survival, Winter's energy and ability to adapt to her new physical form has surpassed the expectations of many experts. Winter has done amazingly well in the short time since her stranding. She has completely healed, adapted to a new swim pattern, and learned to eat fish on her own. -Clearwater Marine Aquarium
