CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater Marine Aquarium announced the death of one of its Atlantic bottlenose dolphins that teams have been treating since 2021 after being found stranded.
Apollo, who was 4 years old, was found stranded on Playalinda back in May 2021, the aquarium said in a tweet. He was found with health challenges including parasites on his dorsal fin, pectoral fins and fluke along with stomach and lung inflammation.
The dolphin was also determined to have "significant hearing loss," which made him non-releasable.
"As a working marine animal hospital, CMA specializes in providing care to marine animals that need recovery and rehabilitation before being released or providing a forever home to those that cannot be released due to physical limitation," CMA said.
Back in March, Apollo reportedly started to show signs of discomfort. For the months following, CMA dedicated veterinary and animal care teams to closely monitor and modify his diet and regimen, the aquarium explained.
"Our team immediately intervened and Apollo received veterinary support and care to keep him comfortable," CMA said on Twitter.
Despite efforts, Apollo's condition deteriorated and he ultimately died.
A necropsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death.