US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
'Tortellini' the Sea Turtle Gets Custom Harness to Help with Swimming
The 3D-printed harness restores neutral buoyancy for Tortellini, enabling normal swimming after a boat strike caused shell damage and trapped air bubbles, zoo staff said.
- KCNSC scientists fitted Tortellini, a sea turtle, with a 3D-printed weighted harness, and KMBC 9 photojournalist Todd Ummelmann captured video of her swimming with ease on Friday.
- Tortellini, observed at the Kansas City Zoo in 2024, half-floats due to trapped air bubbles from her shell injury, requiring buoyancy intervention, said rescuers.
- KCNSC scientists and zoo staff collaborated for nearly a year, 3D-scanning Tortellini's shell and testing a prototype in December 2025.
- Caregivers said Tortellini 'immediately seemed comfortable' when fitted with the harness, noting she now sleeps on the pool bottom and swims more normally.
- Dan Bowen said 'This was too cool to pass up', and the 3D-printed shell model was gifted to the zoo for education.
Insights by Ground AI
26 Articles
26 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources26
Leaning Left0Leaning Right0Center25Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Center
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources are Center
100% Center
C 100%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
