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After beaching herself in the Florida Keys in May, a female pilot whale named “300” developed severe scoliosis during his rehabilitation at Sea World in Orlando. So, SeaWorld teamed with a Florida orthopedic surgery to create a special back brace for the whale.
The scoliosis meant that 300 could not properly use her tail, which impeded her ability to swim. Obviously, when you’re a whale, your swimming ability is of primary concern. So SeaWorld called up Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic and created a brace for the whale. Watch video of the poor whale, who clearly has a severely crooked spine, before the brace below:
While this if the first time such a device has been used on such a large whale, they hope that over time the whale’s spine will straighten out enough so she can regain her proper swimming ability.
Hopefully the other whales won’t tease her, but we all know the gentle giants are nowhere nearly as cruel as middle schoolers.
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