Chinese vets’ 3D-printed titanium beak fits the bill for injured red-crowned crane
Chinese veterinary surgeons have given a red-crowned crane a new beak – made out of titanium using a 3D printer – after its original beak was broken in a fight with another bird, mainland media report.
Some mainland internet users wrote that the crane would become “invincible” in any future fights because of its “Wolverine” beak – a reference to the X-Men mutant superhero with metal claws.
They have even been known to attack humans.
In 2014, several bird watchers suffered numerous injuries to their bodies and their clothes were damaged after being attacked by an adult red crown crane at a national reserve in Baicheng city, in Jilin province.
The bird’s artificial beak was created using a 3D printer to ensure it matched the length and shape of the damaged piece, the report said.
The titanium alloy used to create the beak is similar to the metals used to build aircraft because of their strength and light weight.
The crane seemed to approve of its new beak, the report said.
It was able to stand up by itself soon after the surgery and used the titanium beak to eat and drink water without any problem.
It was even able to use its new beak to catch small fish swimming in a bucket, said the veterinary surgeon who carried out the operation.
The report did not say how much the surgery cost or when the bird would be returned to the zoo.
The red-crowned crane is an endangered species, with worldwide population having declined to about 1,500 individuals by 2010.
Two thirds of the birds spend the winter in China, feeding on fish, shrimp, insects, worms and water plants found in and around lakes and wetlands.
A red-crowned crane can measure up to about 158 centimetres tall and live for more than 50 years.
