The Hollywood of Florida Aquariums

 

    

              The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a non-government organization located in Clearwater, Florida. The aquarium has been around since 1972 and got its start when a group of volunteers wanted to create a marine biology education center out of an old, abandoned water treatment facility that was donated to them. After many years of adapting the location for marine wildlife, they finally opened their first exhibit to the public in 1981. 

One of the main mission goals of CMA is the rescuing of marine life with the help of volunteers, helping to care for and rehabilitate the injured or sick wildlife at their marine hospital, and ultimately releasing them back into their natural environment. Some of this marine life is unable to be able to live in their natural habitat and are permanently cared for at the aquarium and visitors can view and learn the backstories of these animals. One of the animals that was cared for by CMA just happened to be a movie star. This was Winter the dolphin who starred in the movie Dolphin Tale and was well known for her prosthetic tail that was attached to her to help with swimming. Unfortunately, Winter passed away in November 2021 due to a complication she acquired because of her injury. She was 16 years old at the time.                                          

 CMA is also involved with conservation and research of marine mammals and the environment throughout Florida. They work with scientific partners and volunteers to help protect marine species and raise awareness through education of the environment and the marine life to the public. They are also involved with tagging, tracking, and research to help with learning more about species like manatees and sea turtles to continue to provide towards their conservation efforts. CMA also sponsors beach cleanup programs and provides classes for education to schools on and off site.

  On top of helping marine life, the aquarium also does all they can to help people with special needs and disabilities with inspiration and education through efforts with organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They allow these individuals to get hands on experiences with the dolphins and other wildlife at their facility to give the experience of a lifetime.