I just learned about Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, who was rescued from a crab trap off the coast of Florida. She was just three months old when she was rescued and brought to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
The wonderful people at the aquarium nursed Winter back to health and she survived and thrived! But the trap had damaged her little tail so badly that it eventually fell off, leaving Winter with just a stump.
Winter, being the adaptable girl she is, learned to swim with her little stump but her caretakers realized that swimming in this unnatural way would damage her spine. So researchers developed a prosthetic tail for her and Winter is now learning to swim again – just like she did out in the ocean!
A new kid’s book called, Winter’s Tail – How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again (Scholastic) is going to be in bookstores in October. The book is by Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff and Craig Hatkoff, the bestselling authors of Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship and several other books about amazing feats by animal friends.
Pugsley and I were lucky enough to receive an advance copy of the book and thought it was such an heartwarming story. And, the publisher was kind enough to also offer a prize pack as a giveaway to you guys! 
If you have kids or nieces or nephews or grandkids, they will LOVE this gift. It includes a copy of the book, a stuffed Winter dolphin, a dolphin key chain and a Winter’s Tail game for Nintendo DS!
All you have to do to win is visit the Winter’s Tail web site and leave a comment here, telling me what you learned. Make sure to send me an email with your contact info so if you win, I can get in touch.
For an EXTRA entry, subscribe to my e-newsletter (upper right hand corner of the page), which we are launching in October.
We’ll be drawing the winner on October 13th.
Good luck and YAY for Winter and other inspiring animals overcoming obstacles and thriving!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Just responded to your email…..Thank you Romeo (and staff, of course!). My daughter will L-O-V-E this
I didn’t know that they dedicated the project to kids with disabilities– as a special ed teacher, this is really powerful to me.
I had no idea they could live over 40 years!
i subscribe to the newsletter thanks for the chance to win! My son would be thrilled
dolphins can love over 40 years I had no idea thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com
I learned all about winter – didn’t know anything about his story before.
I subscribed to your email newsletter!
I didn’t realize that dolphins could live over 40 years. What a wonderful story!
I have been as obsessed with dolphins as I am with kitties since I was very young, so I knew most of this. The most interesting fact, I think, is that dolphins can reach speeds of approximately 20 mph!
I subscribed, can’t wait to read about you and Pugsley!
I learned that a group of dolphins is called a pod.
What a great story! I love the website, very interactive and fun. Can’t wait to see the book.
Thanks for a great giveaway! My three year old daughter would love this.
I learned that even though they will come up for air 2-3 times a minute, that they can stay under for up to 20 minutes.
BTW…I have followed this story, and that of Owen and Mzee!!!
poor lil guy lost his tail to a crab line
Oops, I meant that she *still* lives at the Clearwater Aquarium.
Winter lives at the Clearwater Aquarium!
I didn’t know any of the 5 facts that were listed about dolphins. How interesting!
i didn’t know that dolphins could swim up to 40 mph! that is amazing!
email: laceylovespink at yahoo dot com
I learned that bottle nose dolphins have excellent eye sight but a terrible sense of smell.
I learned that dophins can swim at 20 mph-that’s pretty fast!
Bottlenosed dolphins can live over 40yrs. I love this story! Thanks!
This is a great story! like it.
Yay for Winter, what a great story! We visited the website and learned that a group of dolphins is called a “pod.” Very interesting!
Our niece and nephew would love this prize pack!!!
Wow, there is no limit to the gifts that God has blessed us with. I didn’t know they could even make prosthetic’s for animals. Just shows anything is possible. That’s a great story and I’m happy for Winter!