VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 8 (UPI) -- One of three Pacific white-sided dolphins who had been sick for months died Thursday at Canada's Vancouver Aquarium, the facility announced in a release.
Named Spinnaker, the male was being treated for a prolonged, undisclosed illness and appeared to be improving recently, the Vancouver Sun reported.
He and two female dolphins arrived at the aquarium in 2001 after being rescued from Japanese fishing nets, the Sun said.
Spinnaker was estimated to be about 25 years old when he died. The remaining females are 14 and 21 and aren't ill, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Facility veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena was to perform a necropsy on the dolphin Thursday, the reports said.
The aquarium issued a release saying staff and volunteers were "deeply saddened by this loss."
