ADOPT NICHOLAS

by Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Your donation towards a symbolic adoption helps to provide care for Nicholas for one year.  The standard donation is one-time donation at time of purchase.  A recurring donation option is available but not required.

If you are adopting as a gift, please enter the recipient information in the donation message field. 

Please make certain to select a reward level under the "Donation Details" screen.  In order to receive the adoption items a reward level must be selected.

On December 24, 2002, a female Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin and male calf stranded near Gibsonton, Florida. The 120-pound orphaned calf, Nicholas, lost 30 lbs. on arrival to CMA and was also suffering from second and third degree sunburns across 36% of his body.  Nicholas was provided 24-hour care for several months to provide nutrition, antibiotics and wound care.

Nicholas was estimated to be six months old and due to the fact that he was not fully weaned, a specific formula was produced to imitate his mother's milk until he could be weaned onto whole fish. With the help of constant wound care management, Nicholas' burns healed within nine months.

Nicholas did not make a suitable candidate for release because of his dependent status at the time of his stranding and rehabilitation. He lacks the necessary survival skills, such as hunting and the skills to protect himself from predators, all of which he can only learn from his mother.

For more information, please contact Randi Baillie at [email protected].