Winter The Dolphin Will Star In Motion Picture

Winter the dolphin will be playing herself in "A Dolphin's Tale," which is scheduled to begin filming today. Most of the movie will be shot at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. A robot double will be used in scenes that Winter cannot do. The movie will star Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd and tells the story of a boy who befriends an injured dolphin and helps her get an artificial tail.

At three months old, Winter became tangled in a crab trap line near Cape Canaveral. She was rescued and brought to the CMA for rehab, but her injuries resulted in the loss of her entire tail and two vertebrae. To the surprise of marine experts, Winter adapted in spite of her serious injuries, and modified her swim pattern to accommodate her disability. Winter has also learned to eat fish on her own and is growing at a healthy rate. A human prosthetics company and a marine mammal veterinarian, developed a prosthetic tail for Winter. With the help trainers, she is being taught to use the prosthetic.

Winter has been featured on the NBC Today Show, CNN and BBC, and is an inspiration to millions. Observing Winter playfully swim around her enclosure is truly a joy; she has overcome adversity by surviving her injury, and seems unaware of her impediment. Her story, however, is uncommon. Each year, countless dolphins become trapped in monofilament and crab trap lines and die.