An injured penguin has received a prosthetic beak. It is recovering in a Rio de Janeiro zoo after he was found stranded on a nearby beach.
The zoo's veterinarian said the acrylic replacement will help the five-month-old Magellan penguin named Tungo to catch fish on his own.
About one month ago, the bird was found with a shattered bill which was damaged by a boat propeller.
He has only been able to eat with the help of caretakers since the accident. He will soon be ready to travel to a breeding centre in California along with other rescued penguins of this endangered species.
The prosthesis, made from the same material used to restore human bones, was shaped from the broken piece of the original beak that was found with the animal.
Veterinarian Marco Janackovic, who performed the surgery on Tungo, said he had to be extra careful not to cover the penguin's nostrils.
"My biggest concern was not covering his nostrils during the surgery with the resin material to prevent him from dying during the surgery. The sedation too (was also a concern), in order to prevent his death," he said.
The young penguin will be kept under medical observation for two days before being put back with others.
Janackovic said he expects Tungo to fully recover in about three weeks.
"He will lead a normal life. He will stay 48 hours under observation with this prosthesis and his recovery will take about three weeks here at the zoo," he said.
Every winter penguins arrive from the Patagonian region on ice floes that melt in the vicinity of Brazil's shore and end up washing on the country's beaches.
This species of flightless birds from the Patagonian region in the southern tip of the continent is known as Magellan in reference to the Straits of Magellan.
Reuters
source: newshub archive
