14 DAY TRIAL // I am the first to admit that Iron Man's suit is pretty impressive. Still, I have to say that, from where I stand, the custom-made prosthetic fin that the turtle pictured above uses to get around is also quite a head-turner.
According to Daily Mail, the green sea turtle had to be fitted with a prosthetic fin after it got tangled in a fishing net and injured its left fins so badly that vets were left with no choice but to amputate.
The turtle was rescued back in 2009 in the waters off Israel's Mediterranean coast. At one point, doctors tried fitting it with a diver's fin. This did not work, and an Israeli team of specialists had to build it a new fin from scratch.
The prosthetic that they eventually settled on resembles the tail of a fighter jet and was strapped onto the turtle's back this past Thursday. “With two fins, he keeps relatively balanced, even above the water,” says design student Shlomi Gez.
The turtle is estimated to be about 20-25 years old, and it will probably live in captivity for the rest of its life. Staff at the Sea Turtle Rescue Center hope that they will soon find a sweetheart for it, and enter it into a breeding program.
If you have the time, be sure to also check out the video below to learn more about this turtle's brand-new prosthetic fin.
