Loved by all but particularly Dominican children, Tamaury, the National Aquarium's manatee mascot died at the age of 12 years.

While the aquarium is experiencing financial difficulties, director Enrique Pujibet say this had nothing to do with the deterioration of Tamaury's condition. In fact, private institutions collaborated in the care and treatment of the beloved mascot. They began to closely monitor him 3 months ago when spots appeared on his skin and his appetite waned.

"We did all that was clinically and humanly correct to save the life of Tamaury," said Pujibet.

Tamaury's name was a combination of the names of two Dominican scientists - Tammy Dominguez and Amaury Villalba. They are credited with contributing to the rescue Tamaury twelve years ago when he was just a newborn whose mother had been killed by fishermen. Sadly the scientists were killed while flying in the Dominican southwest as part of their mission to protect these endangered creatures.