A tale of a tail

What happens to a dolphin that loses its tail? Well, if it is lucky and gets rescued on a beach, it gets a new one.

Dolphin Tale is a true story based on the rescue of Winter (the real Winter plays herself in the movie), an Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin who lost her tail after being caught in a harsh crab trap. In the movie, Winter is found floating in distress off the coast of Florida by 11-year-old Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble). He uses the Swiss Army knife his cousin Kyle (Austin Stowell) gave him before he left to join the army, to cut Winter’s tail free in order to save her. 911 rescuers, led by Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.,) rush her to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, in Clearwater, Florida, where they battle to save her life. In the beginning, Winter seems to be doing OK as she responds to people and starts eating. But her fight for survival has just begun.

Free Lolong, please: The Saltwater Crocodile still in captivity in Agusan

Because of the damage to the tail of Winter, Dr. Haskett opts to amputate it anticipating that an infection could kill her.

Winter has the will to swim even without a tail. Since she is unable to swim normally, the movements Winter makes are foreseen to damage her spine and eventually kill her.

Dolphin Tale shows how the dedication of a marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the devotion of a young child make a miracle come true.

Sawyer and his friend Hazel Haskett (Cozi Zuehlsdorff) work out a plan to save Clear Water Marine Aquarium, and, more importantly, save Winter. It is Sawyer who does research on the prosthetic tail for Winter when he learns that Winter will die if she continues to swim without a tail. Sawyer’s cousin Kyle, a champion swimmer, returns from the military with a damaged right leg from an explosion. Sawyer visits him at the local Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he meets Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman) who specializes in prosthetics. It is in this meeting that Sawyer suggests that a prosthetic tail may be the solution to Winter’s future health and asks Dr. McCarthy to assist. McCarthy agrees. He manufactures a “homemade” model tail while waiting for the real one to arrive. However, Winter destroys it by banging it in the pool. But Sawyer and Hazel never lose hope for Winter, no matter how hopeless the situations seem to be.

Still trapped: Companion animals, like this doggie, are still trapped on rooftops and ledges in Bulacan. The team of Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA), PAWS, Humane Society International (HSI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) conducted a disaster-relief operation in the still-flooded areas of Hagonoy and Calumpit, Bulacan last Oct. 10 and 15. Photos by David Fabros

Two prosthetic tails later, and Dr. McCarthy finally comes up with one that Winter is comfortable with.

As the movie comes to an end, clips of the real Winter are shown with her new prosthetic tail swimming just as a dolphin should. Today, the real Winter serves as a symbol of courage, perseverance and hope to millions of people — both able and disabled — who have been touched by her remarkable story of recovery and rehabilitation. It was in August last year that Winter was fitted with her new silicone and plastic tail, which is two-and-a-half feet long. She is swimming and splashing about in normal dolphin style. 

To learn more about Winter, visit www.seewinter.com.

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I wonder whatever happened to Lolong, one of the largest saltwater crocodiles ever caught. He reportedly weighs 2,370 pounds and is 21 feet long. Lolong was caught in Bunawan creek in Agusan del Sur on Sept. 3. Last we heard about Lolong is that he refused to eat because he was suffering from depression. It was also announced by the mayor, Erwin Cox Elorde, that he planned to make Lolong the center of an ecotourism park for species found in the marshlands near the township. People from nearby towns are now trooping to Lolong’s eco-park after the Palawan Wildlife and Conservation Center finally gave the go signal to open it to the public on Sept. 17. The eco-park has a P20 entrance fee for adults and P15 for children. These proceeds will be used to buy Lolong’s food and for the maintenance of the eco-park. I even remember reading somewhere that the mayor said that he feels that Lolong is one of his children. I wonder. In a world where we can make the lives of animals that belong in the wild better — perhaps the good mayor can learn that keeping Lolong in a pool that is too small for him may actually be cruel — and not something that is good for him despite the benevolent aim of wanting to keep him safe. 

Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) volunteer Sheila Frasco doing her share in Bulacan

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The team of Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA), PAWS, Humane Society International (HSI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) launched a joint disaster-relief operation in the still-flooded areas of Hagonoy and Calumpit, Bulacan last Oct. 10 and 15. 

The group has given food relief to 128 cats, 211 dogs, 36 ducks, six cows, six guinea pigs, eight rabbits, 131 chickens, 36 ducks, 12 geese, 11 goats and 32 pigs.

“In all the places we visited, the animals were all very hungry,” said Sheila Frasco, a PAWS senior volunteer. She added that many dogs and cats were stranded on rooftops for a week and subsisting on whatever food scraps their guardians could spare.

“The people were warm and welcoming. None of them resented our distributing relief for animals because they (the guardians of pets) said it was a big help to them,” quipped Frasco. “They love their companion animals and were glad that they did not have to worry about sharing their rations with them anymore now that help has come.”

PAWS volunteer veterinarian David Arceo gives vitamins to the rescued animals

PAWS continues to accept donations in-kind for humans and animals. Relief distribution will be conducted once a week in the next three weeks. Donations may be dropped off at the PAWS office in Aurora Blvd., Katipunan Valley Loyola Heights, Q.C. during office hours (10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays). PAWS thanks everyone who made a contribution for the animal typhoon victims.