Rosie the Dolphin - Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Rosie is the first female rescued rough-toothed dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. She was rescued after stranding on Longboat Key in February, 2023, and arrived at CMA on May 15 after three months of rehabilitation at our Marine Mammal Stranding Station.

Where to See

Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex

About Rosie

Estimated Age: 3
Sex: Female

Rescue Date: 2/10/2023
Origin: Longboat Key, Florida
Arrival Date: 5/16/2023

On Feb. 10, 2023, CMA received a report and responded to a young, female rough-toothed dolphin stranded off Longboat Key near Sarasota. MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium assessed the animal’s health and transported the animal to CMA’s Fred Howard Park Marine Mammal Stranding Station for rehabilitation. There were reports of beachgoers attempting to push the dolphin back to the water before trained professionals arrived on the scene. When the dolphin arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Fred Howard Park Marine Mammal Stranding Station, she had a mild infection that was treated by CMA veterinarians. Stranding on a beach may cause mild stress to internal organs due to the weight of the animal out of water.

Rosie Videos

Rescued Rough-Toothed Dolphin Care Update

More about Rosie

Rehabilitation

Rosie was initially transported to CMA’s Marine Mammal Stranding Station at Fred Howard Park, where she received care for rehabilitation and routine medical checkups. When she first arrived, she had a mild infection that’s been treated by our veterinarians. Stranding on a beach may cause mild stress to internal organs due to the weight of the animal out of water. Thanks to the supportive care and attention from our dedicated animal care and veterinary team, she recovered and was was able to begin swimming on her own and eat well. After being deemed non-releasable due to hearing loss and three months of rehabilitation at Fred Howard Park she was ready to move to Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Hearing Test

The rough-toothed dolphin underwent a hearing test to determine her ability to survive in the wild on March 9, 2023 . Experts from the National Marine Mammal Foundation conducted the test and found that the dolphin is effectively hearing impaired. Dolphins with severe hearing loss cannot echolocate, which is essential for survival in the wild. National Marine Fisheries Service deemed this dolphin non-releasable and identified CMA as the final placement location because of expertise with the species and companionship of same species dolphin.

Acclimation at CMA

Rosie was safely transported from the Marine Mammal Stranding Station at Fred Howard Park to the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex at Clearwater Marine Aquarium on May 15, 2023. Animal Care Specialists will work very closely with the Rescue Team that has been caring for her at Fred Howard Park to ensure that Rosie’s transition into her new home will be successful.

Rosie will undergo routine medical checks while she acclimates to her new surroundings and gets to know her animal care team. As Rosie acclimates to her new environment, she will eventually be slowly introduced to CMA’s other rough-toothed dolphin, Rudy.

The veterinary team and animal care specialists will collaborate to determine when Rosie is ready to explore other areas of her new habitat and meet Rudy.

Species Threats

Entanglement
One of the main threats to rough-toothed dolphins is getting entangled or captured in commercial fishing gear, such as gillnets and in drive fisheries outside of the U.S., which can injure or kill them. While there is no reported bycatch from U.S. fisheries, rough-toothed dolphins are known to take bait from fisheries in Hawaiߵi.

Hunting
Rough-toothed dolphins have been killed in direct fisheries in Japan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, West Africa, and the Caribbean Sea.

Ocean Noise
Underwater noise pollution interrupts the normal behavior of rough-toothed dolphins, which rely on sound to communicate and echolocate. If loud enough, noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. Noise interference from vessels, as well as industrial and military activities, disturbs rough-toothed dolphins’ feeding, communication, and orientation