SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) — Allison, a green sea turtle with only one flipper, has been going around and around and around for most of her life.
But swimming in tight circles is tough for a 5-year-old turtle whose life expectancy is about 150 years.
Allison was set straight Wednesday, when researchers outfitted her in a black neoprene suit with a carbon-fiber dorsal fin on the back that allows her to glide gracefully with other turtles.
“That’s a sea turtle doing what a sea turtle does,” said Dave Cromwell, a worker who watched the turtle’s new moves at Sea Turtle Inc., a Texas not-for-profit group that rehabilitates injured sea turtles.
Turtle with shark fins
The fin on the suit, which resembles a wetsuit covering about three-quarters of her body, acts like a rudder and gives her stability. Allison can change direction by varying the strokes of her front right flipper, the lone survivor in what rescuers believe was a shark attack.
Sea Turtle Inc. curator Jeff George said turtles with only one flipper are usually euthanized because they would struggle to reach the surface for air. Two-flipper turtles can be adopted by zoos and three-flipper turtles can be returned to the wild.
Allison, who arrived at the rescue center in 2005, was given a slim chance of survival, but she recovered from her injuries and wormed her way into the hearts of her rescuers, who tried to find a way to help the circling turtle.
“The whole reason we’re doing this is to improve her quality of life,” said Tom Wilson, a 21-year-old intern who thought up the suit.
George said a team of scientists last year spent months trying to develop a prosthetic flipper to counter the thrust of Allison’s remaining paddle, but there was not enough of a stump remaining to attach prosthetics.
Wilson’s idea applied the physics of canoe paddling. The scientists have developed equations that will allow them to tailor new suits and fins because Allison could grow to around 500 to 600 pounds.
Even though Allison will never return to the sea, the groundbreaking work will make her an “ambassador” for an endangered species, George said.
For now, the triumph that the turtle could swim like the others was enough for those at the rescue center: Cromwell said watchers wept the first time Allison dove to feed at the salad bar of waving Romaine lettuce.
On the Net:
Sea Turtle Inc.: http://www.seaturtleinc.com/
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AAAAWWWWWW!!!!!!
Great job guys ! Keep us posted on how she does and also post any more turtle news you hear about !!!
Am I the only one who thinks this may not be a good idea? Yes it’s very cute and all but perhaps messing around with evolution is not the best idea. I think the article implied that the missing fin was a genetic issue, although I may be wrong. If it is, however, intervening and making it easier for those genes to continue to propagate does a disservice to the species as a whole. Humans may have the ability to circumvent natural selection through the use of technology, which is fine for members of our own species since we can do it consistently, but we can only intervene arbitrarily at best among these turtles and other animals. So by helping this one turtle, we get to anthropomorphize some and feel a little better, but overall it does more harm than good. I’m not advocating purposefully killing these turtles either, that is eugenics and is fundamentally flawed, but it might be best to let nature take it’s course without intervening one way or the other.
Cool post!!
big problem now, i cant go to the beach
very cool
Connor, the article said the missing fin was likely do to a shark attack.
If you have to do it, you might as well do it right
This article was funny to read. Was it translated by Google or something? Somethings didn’t make sense… : )
“Allison crapper modify content by varied the strokes of her face correct flipper, the unaccompanied unfortunate in what rescuers conceive was a shark attack.” HUH?
“Even though Allison module never convey to the sea, the start impact module attain her an “ambassador” for an endangered species, martyr said.
For now, the boast that the overturn could move same the others was sufficiency for those at the delivery center: general said watchers wept the prototypal instance Allison disarmer to take at the salad forbid of gesture Romaine lettuce.” Ummmmmm, okay? LOL