p2pnet.net OT News:- You know Dreamworks’ Shark Tale?

Well, here’s a truly wonderful Dolphin tale.

Fuji, a 34-year-old female dolphin, has what’s thought to be the world’s first Formula One tail fin.

She lost 75% of her own fin to disease, but thanks to a $95,000 prosthetic fin developed by Japan tyre maker Bridgestone Corp, she’s jumping again.

"Ten prototypes were made before the company found one that worked, and it then took Fuji five months to get used to the fin – it initially scared her," says the BBC.

"Fuji only wears the fin, which weighs about 2kg (5 pounds), for about 20 minutes a day in case it falls off or is eaten by other dolphins."

Masaya Kowami, a breeder at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in southern Japan, is quoted as saying, "We are very grateful. Although she can swim without the artificial fin, the speed is very slow and she certainly cannot jump without it."

The fin is made from material usually used for Formula One race car tyres, says the Beeb, adding, "Sponge rubber was used for the parts which come into direct contact with Fuji’s skin."

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See:-
Dolphin tale - Disabled dolphin jumping again with world’s first artificial fin, Japan Today, November 19, 2004
very grateful – Disabled dolphin gets new tail, BBC News Online, November 19, 2004

This entry was posted on Friday, November 19th, 2004 at 8:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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