:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-cmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/UHYJNE77SERLUGHWXN3EMCLNTI.jpg)
MARINELAND, Fla. — Officials at Marineland say 61-year-old bottlenose dolphin Nellie has died.
The attraction announced Nellie's death on its website on Thursday, noting she was euthanized earlier this week after her conditioned quickly worsened.
They say she was the oldest Atlantic bottlenose dolphin in human care.
According to the website, Nellie was born at Marineland on Feb. 27, 1953. She starred in several TV shows filmed at Marineland in the 1950s and was featured in a Timex watch commercial in 1961 that aired on Frank Sinatra's special "Welcome Home Elvis." (Watch the commercial)
A public celebration of Nellie's life is planned for May 15. More information will be announced on the website, www.marineland.net .
WFTV
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LFVN6FJTCBGDPKRTMFOJF3QLGM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/333RIR4ZTRBK7P4H6Z7UHQLA5I.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/UIRTNXH5QNDLTPNDHIBFKHWWYU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/BWAG42EMMNDIHKNOJAK5BB3GVU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/UTB7FL7UUNCYJHSLBXMGGFXYCM.png)