‘Dolphin Tale’ star illness prompts aquarium to close 1 day

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A Florida aquarium will temporarily close to treat its dolphin with a prosthetic tail that starred in the “Dolphin Tale” movies and is now in critical condition from a suspected infection. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium said in a statement it will close Friday “to create the best possible environment” for medical staff to treat Winter, a 16-year-old female bottlenose dolphin suffering from a gastrointenstinal infection. Winter was two months old when her tail became entangled in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral, forcing its amputation. “Dolphin Tale,” released in 2011, chronicled Winter’s recovery and the effort to fit her with a prosthetic tail. The movie was filmed at the Clearwater aquarium and surrounding Tampa Bay locations.