Winter Gets Hope in New Pool Mate

The story is out of a Hollywood script.

An injured, female, two-month old Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin is rescued with little chance of survival, but with perseverance does.

Sounds like Winter’s story. But five years and a day from her rescue, while crews wrapped up the filming of Dolphin Tale, another dolphin came to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Hope. 

The two became poolmates Thursday where they will be seen together for the foreseeable future.

Hope’s Journey

Crews already had wrapped up work on the nearly five year Dolphin Tale movie project Dec. 11, 2010 when a call came in about an injured dolphin. 

A dolphin calf was spotted in the Indian River Lagoon, the same one where Winter was found, by the same rescuer, Theresa Mazza, of the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute.

A rescue team was deployed and by about 2:30 p.m. The young dolphin was found nursing from its dead mother.

She was brought back to the aquarium as staff and movie crews were having their wrap party next door at Island Way Grill. 

The dolphin came in and staff split time between the party and the rescue said David Yates, aquarium president.

"The timing was really hard to believe," Yates said.

Ultimately, the National Marine Fisheries deemed the calf non-releasable. She would not be able to acquire the necessary skills to survive in the wild. It was also determined that she should permanently reside at the aquarium. 

After a nationwide naming contest, which raised about $6,000, staff noticed a recurring theme out of the 1,126 names - Hope.

Winter's Family

With the addition of Hope, Winter now has a family again, Yates said. There is Panama, as adopted mother, and Hope, as an adopted sister. 

Hope and Winter swam and played together during their introduction as poolmates, getting along better than anyone could script.

Related coverage:

• Photo Gallery: Winter Meets Hope at Clearwater Marine Aquarium
• Latest Rescued Dolphin Offers ‘Hope’ at Clearwater Marine Aquarium