Oldest Dolphin, PJ, Dies At Clearwater Marine Aquarium

CLEARWATER, FL —PJ, the oldest dolphin living at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, has died at the age of 51.

The aquarium made the announcement Sunday.

"We are deeply saddened to share the passing of PJ, our eldest bottlenose dolphin," the aquarium posted on Facebook. "She was in the loving arms of her animal care and vet teams as she took her last breaths. We did all we could to ensure she was as comfortable as possible during her last moments with us."

PJ, who was rescued on Aug. 21, 2018, arrived at the aquarium in March 2019.

She was found stranded in shallow water in Old Tampa Bay, and it was determined she couldn't be released back into the wild due to medical issues, including severe hearing loss, vision loss, worn teeth and arthritis.

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PJ had been the pod partner for Hope the dolphin since the death of Hope's former best friend, Winter, who died in November 2021 at the age of 16.

"We are so incredibly grateful to be able to provide her every comfort during her sunset years," wrote the aquarium staff. "From the instant she arrived at CMA following her rescue, it was clear that her easygoing personality would make her a perfect match for Winter and Hope. She later acted as a motherly figure with our newest rescue, Apollo. PJ is now able to join Winter and serve as her bodyguard for eternity – as she would have it no other way."