Beloved ‘Dolphin Tale’ Star Winter Dies at Florida Aquarium

Beloved ‘Dolphin Tale’ Star Winter Dies at Florida Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium senior marine mammal trainer Abby Stone works with Winter the dolphin in Clearwater, Fla., on Aug. 3, 2011. Chris O'Meara/AP Photo
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CLEARWATER, Fla.—A prosthetic-tailed dolphin named Winter that starred in the “Dolphin Tale” movies died Thursday evening at a Florida aquarium despite life-saving efforts to treat a gastrointestinal abnormality, aquarium officials said.

The 16-year-old female bottlenose dolphin died while being held by animal care experts who were preparing Winter for a procedure at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where the famous marine mammal has long resided.