Winter The Dolphin Welcomes New BFF: A Blind, Noseless Sea Turtle

CLEARWATER, FL -- Just in time to celebrate Christmas together, Winter the Dolphin got a new roomie at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Last week, Winter welcomed Snorkel, a rescued loggerhead sea turtle, as the aquarium's newest permanent resident.

Like Winter, Snorkle has some challenges to overcome.

The small sea turtle is blind and missing parts of her nose and jaw; preventing her from being released back into the wild.

The juvenile loggerhead was found as a “washback,” a term used to describe a baby sea turtle that washed ashore due to heavy winds and surf. Snorkel was found with damage to her upper beak and both eyes due to unknown trauma.

“Just like Winter the dolphin, Snorkel has inspired our team and guests tremendously through her survival and recovery,” said David Yates, CEO of CMA. “Our goal is for the animals we rescue to return to the wild, but that’s not always possible. We are thrilled to offer Snorkel a forever home where she will be well loved and cared for.”

The expectation is that Snorkel will do well living as a permanent resident at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Although blind, Snorkel does respond quite well to tactile interaction.

Visitors can meet Snorkel while enjoying Winter's Wonderland, which runs through this weekend.

Winter's Wonderland features holiday-theme habitats and a kids' fun zone in which they can learn more about penguins and polar bears.

Winter the dolphin achieved international fame after she was found stranded in Mosquito Lagoon, near Cape Canaveral in 2005 when she was 2 months old. She was entangled in a crab trap line which cut off circulation to her tail flukes. After disentanglement, she was transported to Clearwater Marine Aquarium for treatment of her extensive injuries but, despite exhaustive efforts to promote healing, her tail deteriorated and could not be saved.

Despite overwhelming odds against survival, Winter’s energy and ability to adapt to her new physical form surpassed expectations. She recovered completely, adapted to a new swim pattern and learned to eat fish on her own… about 12 pounds a day.

Her recovery was complete when Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics Inc., together with Dr. Mike Walsh, CMA’s marine mammal veterinarian, created a prosthetic tail for Winter.

Winter's story of determination and survival was told in the 2011 Warner Bros. movie, "A Dolphin's Tale," followed by the 2014 sequel, "Dolphin's Tale 2." There's no word if Snorkel will star in a future film.

Snorkel will join Winter and Winter's BFF, Hope, a dolphin rescued from the same area and rehabilitated at the aquarium.

The two bottlenose dolphins don't seem to mind sharing the limelight with Snorkel. After all, they are all examples of how marine life can overcome obstacles with sheer will and a bit of help from their human friends.

Video via Warner Bros.

Images via Clearwater Marine Aquarium

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