An alligator has become the first in the world to be given a prosthetic tail. The nine-year-old reptile, called Mr Stubbs, was left unable to swim after having his rear end bitten off in a fight. The youngster struggled to keep upright in deep water and he faced a life on land. Mr Stubbs, a 9-year-old reptile, is the first alligator in the world to get a prosthetic tail . The amputee alligator, which had his tail bitten off by a larger alligator when he was just a baby, is learning to walk and swim with his new appendage . Mr Stubbs, without his tail (left), can't swim, and has a much harder time getting around. Kevin Manfredi (right), of Midwestern University, prepares to release Mr Stubbs and study his movements using special markers . With his new tail attached, Mr Stubbs is now learning how to swim, moving through the water and even diving and swimming on his back . But he's been given a new lease of life after being rescued by reptile experts at the Herpetological Society in Phoenix, Arizona. The team had a new high-tech tail made out of latex and silicon at a cost of thousands of dollars.And they're now teaching Mr Stubbs how to swim again. Russ Johnson, from the society, said: 'Mr Stubbs was probably very young and someone put him in with a much larger alligator - and the alligator bit it off. 'Alligators are cannibals so if you're the smallest and someone else is hungry - you're basically a menu item. 'A tail is a vital appendage for an alligator. Without a tail, an alligator can't swim - he can't move forward in the water so he just splashes in circles. Needless to say, a tailless existence is not a very pleasing lifestyle for an alligator.' Mr Stubbs was found among 32 alligators in the back of a truck that had been stopped as it drove through Arizona and handed over to the Herpetological Society, which houses 1,500 reptiles. The team had a new high-tech tail made out of latex and silicon at a cost of thousands of dollars . Sarah Jarvis, an orthopedic research associate with the Center for Orthopedic Research and Education in Arizona, who helped make the cast for what would become Mr Stubbs prosthetic tail, poses with Russ Johnson of the Phoenix Herpetological Society . Mr Stubbs was found among 32 alligators in the back of a truck that had been stopped as it drove through Arizona . Mr Johnson said: 'When he went into the pen with the other alligators we found we couldn't put him in deep water because he couldn't swim without turning himself upside down.' Realising the animal would need a new tail, the team called in reptile specialist Justin Georgi, from Midwestern University, to help. Dr. Marc Jacofsky and his assistant Sarah Jarvis, both from the Center for Orthopedic Research and Education, in Arizona, were also brought in to help make a cast for what would become Mr Stubbs' prosthetic tail. The complicated process involved using infrared video cameras to track the animal's motion and even his centre of gravity. The prosthetic tail was then made using a mould from a similar sized alligator and Mr Stubbs' stump. And the reptile now appears to be delighted to be back in the water with his new appendage. The process of making the tail involved using infrared video cameras to track the animal's motion and even his centre of gravity . It takes just five to 10 minutes to get the tail on Mr Stubbs and fitted properly . The prosthetic tail was made using a mould from a similar sized alligator and Mr Stubbs' stump . Dr Georgi said: 'One of the wonderful things is he takes to it so quickly every time we put it on. 'He never shows any distress or signs of fighting to slip out of it. One of the proofs of matching a tail to something that feels natural for him, is that he doesn't mind - he started moving pretty much naturally as soon as he had it on.' Once Mr Stubbs learns to propel the tail, he'll be able to maneuver, swim, and dive like a normal alligator. And, as he continue to grow over the next 60 years of his life, he will need up to 40 different replacements. Kevin Manfredi prepares to release Mr Stubbs and study his movements using the special markers placed in strategic places on the alligator's body . As he continue to grow over the next 60 years of his life, Mr Stubbs will need up to 40 different replacements .
Young alligator struggled to keep upright in deep water after losing tail .
Experts made a replacement tail out of latex and silicone .
Mr Stubbs is now back in the water with his new appendage .
An alligator has become the first in the world to be given a prosthetic tail. The nine-year-old reptile, called Mr Stubbs, was left unable to swim after having his rear end bitten off in a fight. The youngster struggled to keep upright in deep water and he faced a life on land. Mr Stubbs, a 9-year-old reptile, is the first alligator in the world to get a prosthetic tail . The amputee alligator, which had his tail bitten off by a larger alligator when he was just a baby, is learning to walk and swim with his new appendage . Mr Stubbs, without his tail (left), can't swim, and has a much harder time getting around. Kevin Manfredi (right), of Midwestern University, prepares to release Mr Stubbs and study his movements using special markers . With his new tail attached, Mr Stubbs is now learning how to swim, moving through the water and even diving and swimming on his back . But he's been given a new lease of life after being rescued by reptile experts at the Herpetological Society in Phoenix, Arizona. The team had a new high-tech tail made out of latex and silicon at a cost of thousands of dollars.And they're now teaching Mr Stubbs how to swim again. Russ Johnson, from the society, said: 'Mr Stubbs was probably very young and someone put him in with a much larger alligator - and the alligator bit it off. 'Alligators are cannibals so if you're the smallest and someone else is hungry - you're basically a menu item. 'A tail is a vital appendage for an alligator. Without a tail, an alligator can't swim - he can't move forward in the water so he just splashes in circles. Needless to say, a tailless existence is not a very pleasing lifestyle for an alligator.' Mr Stubbs was found among 32 alligators in the back of a truck that had been stopped as it drove through Arizona and handed over to the Herpetological Society, which houses 1,500 reptiles. The team had a new high-tech tail made out of latex and silicon at a cost of thousands of dollars . Sarah Jarvis, an orthopedic research associate with the Center for Orthopedic Research and Education in Arizona, who helped make the cast for what would become Mr Stubbs prosthetic tail, poses with Russ Johnson of the Phoenix Herpetological Society . Mr Stubbs was found among 32 alligators in the back of a truck that had been stopped as it drove through Arizona . Mr Johnson said: 'When he went into the pen with the other alligators we found we couldn't put him in deep water because he couldn't swim without turning himself upside down.' Realising the animal would need a new tail, the team called in reptile specialist Justin Georgi, from Midwestern University, to help. Dr. Marc Jacofsky and his assistant Sarah Jarvis, both from the Center for Orthopedic Research and Education, in Arizona, were also brought in to help make a cast for what would become Mr Stubbs' prosthetic tail. The complicated process involved using infrared video cameras to track the animal's motion and even his centre of gravity. The prosthetic tail was then made using a mould from a similar sized alligator and Mr Stubbs' stump. And the reptile now appears to be delighted to be back in the water with his new appendage. The process of making the tail involved using infrared video cameras to track the animal's motion and even his centre of gravity . It takes just five to 10 minutes to get the tail on Mr Stubbs and fitted properly . The prosthetic tail was made using a mould from a similar sized alligator and Mr Stubbs' stump . Dr Georgi said: 'One of the wonderful things is he takes to it so quickly every time we put it on. 'He never shows any distress or signs of fighting to slip out of it. One of the proofs of matching a tail to something that feels natural for him, is that he doesn't mind - he started moving pretty much naturally as soon as he had it on.' Once Mr Stubbs learns to propel the tail, he'll be able to maneuver, swim, and dive like a normal alligator. And, as he continue to grow over the next 60 years of his life, he will need up to 40 different replacements. Kevin Manfredi prepares to release Mr Stubbs and study his movements using the special markers placed in strategic places on the alligator's body . As he continue to grow over the next 60 years of his life, Mr Stubbs will need up to 40 different replacements .
fight. The youngster struggled to keep upright in his new tail attached, Mr Stubbs is now learning tail made out of latex and silicon at a cost of to be delighted to be back in the water with his