Ocean Park’s six-year-old dolphin Cleo dies of unknown illness, as park mourns the loss of one of its ‘key animal ambassadors’
- Female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin was born and raised in the park’s Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Centre
Ocean Park’s six-year-old dolphin, Cleo, died on Sunday of unknown health problems that lasted more than a week, the park announced.
The female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin had no health problems before the illness, but was placed under veterinary care after she started to display a reduced appetite and high body temperature on April 18, a spokeswoman said.
Despite attempts to save her, the dolphin’s health worsened on Friday and she died on Sunday. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
In the absence of Cleo, the park now has 22 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, or Tursiops aduncus.
Cleo was born at Ocean Park in August 2012 and grew up in the park’s Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Centre, a facility known for its educational programmes for the public.
Cleo had not been performing at the park’s Ocean Theatre with the other dolphins.