February 16, 2007: Artificial fluke

Undertoad · 02-16-2007, 06:46 AM

xoB finds this WaPo Day in Pics shot, a fine Friday image. This bottlenose dolphin named "Fuji" had a problem. In 2002 she developed a strange disease, and most of her fluke actually fell off.

Dolphins can get on okay without a complete fluke, but scientists at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium wanted to help her out, and also to learn more about dolphins and whether they can recover, and swim and get anong with other dolphins, if they receive the assistance of an artificial fin.

Thus, the fake fluke.

Attaching it and working with Fuji has been no easy task. Dolphins don't like to have artificial things attached to them, so Fuji had to be trained to allow people to attach the thing, and not to reject it once attached.

Aquarium page in English explaining her treatment

02-16-2007, 06:46 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	February 16, 2007: Artificial fluke xoB finds this WaPo Day in Pics shot, a fine Friday image. This bottlenose dolphin named "Fuji" had a problem. In 2002 she developed a strange disease, and most of her fluke actually fell off. Dolphins can get on okay without a complete fluke, but scientists at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium wanted to help her out, and also to learn more about dolphins and whether they can recover, and swim and get anong with other dolphins, if they receive the assistance of an artificial fin. Thus, the fake fluke. Attaching it and working with Fuji has been no easy task. Dolphins don't like to have artificial things attached to them, so Fuji had to be trained to allow people to attach the thing, and not to reject it once attached. Aquarium page in English explaining her treatment

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