Winter: The Dolphin That Lost Its Fin
Not all centers that display animals are zoos that keep their inhabitants locked up. Some are recovery centers that house animals that can no longer live in freedom. One of the best examples is Winter, the dolphin who lost his fin.
The rescue of Winter, the dolphin who lost his fin
In early December 2010, workers at the Clearwater Marine Center in Florida, United States, found Winter. It was a two-month-old baby dolphin. The animal was trapped in fishing nets. Thus, the lines cut off the circulation of the hind fin.
The animal was taken to the center, which is also a marine animal hospital. So they immediately started treatment. Winter recovered, but her fin was deteriorating. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save it.
Recovery and prosthesis
The hind fin is very important for a dolphin. It is through her that these animals can swim. Furthermore, there is no other part of your body prepared to fulfill this function. Winter needed a hind fin.
So the vets made a prosthesis. It was the first time something like that was done. N UNCA was a dolphin had survived after having lost the rear fin. A well-known human prosthetics company took on the challenge of returning Winter’s fin. And finally they did it.
A team was formed with experts from different fields. During the construction of that fin, they solve the many challenges that were arising. The biggest one was to fix the fin to Winter’s tail without it slipping or hurting the animal’s skin.
The movie about Winter
Winter, the dolphin who lost his fin, inspired two films that became a blockbuster. In the original version, they were titled Dolphin Tale. The title was translated Winter – The Dolphin.
In these film productions, the real story is told, but with some poetic licenses. Kyle, an 11-year-old boy, finds Winter stranded and injured on a beach. The film follows the story of friendship and overcoming the two , while the dolphin loses its fin and gains the famous prosthesis.
Winter’s new partner: Hope
In real life, that happened too. Dolphins are social animals that need to live in groups. So the dolphin chosen to accompany Winter was Hope. Hope had been found when she was just two months old, along with her late mother.
They fed Hope for a few months, but she arrived so young at the center that she couldn’t go back to nature. Her mother would have taught her to fish, but she had no company to learn these skills. So Hope was transferred to Winter’s tank and they’ve lived together ever since.
Winter and Hope are two animals that could not have survived in the wild. There are exceptional occasions when human beings are able to care for and rehabilitate animals in need. Thus, it is possible to give them a future in which they can be happy and live in safety.
In return, Winter and Hope show us two stories of resilience and friendship. Perseverance and adaptability made both of them a success. Thus, these animals serve as an example to help many people not to give up in the face of problems.
