Marineland's last dolphin is likely to have died from a mandarin-sized tumor, a post-mortem has concluded.
The 36-year-old Kelly had been at the Napier attraction since 1974 and died on Wednesday.
Brett Gartrell, from Massey University's Veterinary Teaching School in Palmerston North, says the main finding of post-mortem was that the dolphin died of old age.
However, Dr Gartrell says they also found what is believed to be a cancer at the base of her stomach, which is now being tested.
Kelly's body will now be used by researchers studying wild dolphins.
