"Bionic" Dolphin Getting New Tail

Kevin Carroll Has Built Prosthetic Tail For "Winter" The Dolphin

(CBS)  Thanks to high-tech materials and innovation, prosthetic limbs enable amputees to walk, run, and even swim. But one world-renowned prosthetist has a new patient that has presented him with quite a challenge.

On The Early Show, resident veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner reported on Kevin Carroll's latest prosthetic patient: a dolphin.

Carroll is one of the world's leading prosthetists. Besides his work with people, he has designed prosthetics for dogs, an ostrich, and even a duck.

And now he is working on Winter.

Winter, an Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, is a playful two-year-old. She was found off the coast of Florida, caught in a crab trap. When she arrived at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, CMA CEO David Yates said her condition was critical.

"The first few days, we really didn’t think she'd live at all. And what happened is we had a 24-hour around-the-clock care by our veterinary staff, our animal care staff, (and) our volunteers that literally watched her every second of the day," Yates said.

Winter survived, but she lost her tail and was left with merely a stump.

Without a tail, she can neither swim as fast nor jump as high as a normal dolphin. Yates said her condition put her in a unique situation. "She's had to adapt to how to swim without a tail, which no dolphin has ever done in captivity. We didn't know if she could do that," he said.

Winter's swimming style changed from up and down to side to side. Veterinarians were concerned that this unusual swimming form might alter the long-term health of her spine. The vets, therefore, began to explore designing a prosthetic tail for Winter.

Carroll contacted Winter's caretakers after he got word of the need for a prosthetic tail, and he offered his services. However, Carroll didn't realize how large a project it would be.

"I came straight down, saw Winter (and) felt really sorry for her. And I came in and I said, 'OK, we'll fit her little tail. Not a big deal.' Little did I know it was going to take a year and a half to do," Carroll said.

Designing a prosthetic for a dolphin was a trickier process than Carroll anticipated. He said, "With a person, when we fit a socket on them, we have one long, solid bone. We don't have to have the socket moving in every direction. With a dolphin, it needs to move along with her full spine."

Casts are used to monitor Winter's growth and body shape. The casts are also able to provide the mold for Winter's new prosthetic. Carroll noted that it is important for Winter to be able to adapt to having a new tail. "We can't just put a prosthetic on and walk out the door. We have to slowly introduce the prosthetic," he said.

Teaching Winter how to use the prosthetic device also presents a challenge. Carroll will have to aide her in learning how to once again swim up and down like a typical dolphin.

The last step is to attach the actual tail. That's still a few months away, but Winter's caretaking team is incredibly excited to get her back to full strength.

"It's going to be powerful seeing her coming out of the water with that tail," Carroll said. "I know she's going to do it. We're really looking forward to that."

[rushman71]

New title:"6 Million Dollar Dolphin" lol

[extremophil]

And after all he's been through he is still smiling.

[ecuadoriana]

People who work for animals are the real heroes. Kevin Carroll is a true friend of the earth & its mysterious, awe inspiring creatures.

[blackbug99]

Hopefully there'll be a follow up report saying, "Winter swims!" Sometimes, and we don't mean to, man does the right things. And, since this is America, and it is a fake tail, maybe Nike or some other company could sponsor the procedure. Put a little logo on it and help pay for the procedure and talents that made it possible.

[tomorr1]

I work with Winter at the aquarium. She is the coolest animal to work with. You can follow her progress on our website. www.cmaquarium.org

You can also come in and visit her at the aquarium in the Tampa Bay area. If you want to help us with her medical costs you can also donate on our website.

[mitywhity]

It's a dolphin. How much energy and resources have been focused on this? Plus, it said she could swim already and she lives in a pool already, so why all the fuss? If those other dolphin could vocalize they would scream let me out of this place!!! I am no tree-hugger, but I am no fan of aquariums and zoos. They are simply Barnum and Bailey circuses. Wildlife should be left alone. I forgot, there is big money made here. Never mind then, I'll pretend that these side-shows are saving the planet or something.

[ecuadoriana]

"...it said she could swim already and she lives in a pool already, so why all the fuss?" Posted by MityWhity at 10:44 AM : Aug 10, 2007

MityTightyWhity, you probably missed the part of the article that said "Without a tail, she can neither swim as fast nor jump as high as a normal dolphin...Winter's swimming style changed from up and down to side to side..this unusual swimming form might alter the long-term health of her spine."

You probably also missed the part that said "She was found off the coast of Florida, caught in a crab trap." Nature didn't set that trap- humans did. Perhaps those who set the trap should come forward & pay for the treatment?! But they won't, because they don't care. So it is up to others, who weren't the offenders, to correct the crime.

If the dolphin had been your human child who was out swimming & lost its leg in someone's crab trap you'd be going out of your mind trying to find someone to sue & someone to perform a medical miracle! But what if someone said to you "Your child? It's just a human. It's just a gimpy limp that will destroy its spine. How much energy and resources should be focused on this?"

Just because you are selectively deaf & blind to the suffering of animals doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[pawskiwi46]

To Kevin
I am a volunteer at the clearwater marine aquarium I was there today when you were there----fitting Winter I was unable to tell me myself how wonderful--of a job your doing--and how exciting it is be able to witness all of this --thank you sooo much--keep up the fantastic work
Denise

[pawskiwi46]

I would like to say--I'm a volunteer at the clearwater marine aquarium--I have watched winter grow--into a beautiful playful dolphin--yes she can swim our concern is her spine---she swims like a shark or fish---what they are trying to do is with the help of Kevin---is so she can learn to swim like a normal dolphin can--