With Prosthetic Tail, Winter Becomes The First Bionic Sea Creature
Written by Wali Mohammad
Wednesday, 07 May 2008
Two years ago Winter was the Dolphin who lost her tail in a crab tail. She could not swim, but barely waggle from side to side.
With floating in distress, rescuers found her at the coast of Florida and got her to the Cleanwater Marine Aquarium Florida.Rescuers saved her life, but there was a problem … where her tail should have been there was only a stump. Aquarium Director said that she should learn to swim without a tail; But the surgeons say that her waggling might damage her spines.
Kevin Carroll, designed prosthetics for dogs, an ostrich and ducks, offered a solution of artificial tail.
According to him, in case of persons, socket is fitted with a long and solid bone; also socket is not required to move in all directions. But with the dolphin it needs to move along with her full spine.
It was assumed to take a year and a half; but the months of work were worth it. When Winter was finally fitted with a 30in silicone and plastic tail she was a dolphin transformed.
She may never be the most elegant dolphin who ever swam, as she splashes about in the aquarium.
Two years ago Winter was the Dolphin who lost her tail in a crab tail. She could not swim, but barely waggle from side to side.
