Dagny the Dolphin

Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) welcomed four female rough-toothed dolphins into its care on June 4, 2025.

CMA has served as the first responders for marine mammals and animals for decades. Recognizing the vital role CMA plays in marine mammal rescue and its expertise with rough-toothed dolphins, CMA and Gulf World, an aquarium located in Panama City Beach, FL., worked collaboratively in relocating these marine mammals.

CMA’s animal care team first ensured the marine animals were stable for transport and prepared for their transfer to Clearwater. The four dolphins — Doris, Kitana, Dagny and Wren — are estimated to be 28, 18, 10 and 5 years of age.

These four rough-toothed dolphins have been deemed non-releasable by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after stranding and are not able to be released back into the wild.

CMA is committed to its mission to rescue marine life. Rescue comes in many forms, and we remain steadfast in our mission to provide exceptional care for all marine animals at CMA.

CMA is currently the only aquarium in the United States that cares for rough-toothed dolphins. The addition of these dolphins will bring CMA’s total cetacean population to nine dolphins, which guests will see when they visit the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex.

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