Sea Turtle Gets Artificial Flippers

A loggerhead sea turtle in Japan has been outfitted with artificial flippers in an attempt to prepare the turtle for life in the wild after rehabilitation.

The project is led by the Sea Turtle Association of Japan, which rescued the loggerhead turtle, whose front flippers were mangled presumably by a shark.

The turtle tested its flippers in a saltwater pond in June, and modifications will be made to the flippers until the turtle can swim stably. If the project is a success, it will be the first time artificial flippers have been successfully used on a sea turtle.

The loggerhead is a female estimated at 20 years old and has been nicknamed "Yu-chan."

Read More:

• Sea Turtle Facts
• 7 Species of Sea Turtles
• Sea Turtle Tries Out Flippers After Losing Limbs in Shark Attack (Mainichi Daily News)

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Loggerhead Sea Turtle Image Courtesy Juan Cuetos, Oceana