The dolphin, thought to be around six years old, was taken from Florida's Anclote Key last December, after he was found stranded on a beach emaciated and with pneumonia. Even then his body showed signs of minor shark bites.
Taken initially to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, he was transferred to Gulf World Marine Park, Panama City Beach for pool rehab. After six months, strong and feeding keenly, the dolphin - by now named Dunham - was judged ready for release.
On 28 July he was placed in the sea at Tampa Bay's Dunedin Causeway, complete with a radio transmitter so that his carers would be able to follow him in two boats, at least for a while, to be sure that he was alright.
Dunham was reported to have moved off stiffly, before loosening up, picking up his pace and making contact with a pod of dolphins. But instead of joining them, he headed back inshore, seemingly to hunt fish which could be seen leaping.
Soon after, just three hours into his freedom, Dunham was seen suddenly to struggle, as if tussling another large creature. He was observed to have shark bites and was bleeding.
He descended and, upon surfacing again, had sustained a more serious injury, with a bite having penetrated through to his diaphragm. A tiger shark of about 2.5m in length was spotted swimming nearby.
The dolphin was guided to shore, where a vet who had been summoned injected first a sedative, then a euthanasing drug.
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