Avian Expert Articles

Prosthetic Beak Saves Injured Wild Parrot

A wild parrot was found in Brazil with a devastating injury to its beak.

For many years, the technological ability to help repair damages to nature has been on the uptick. One of the most satisfying trends has been 3D printing of damaged and essential parts of creatures in our animal kingdom and their appendages. Some years back, a maliciously abused toucan by a teen gang in South America had its beak snapped off. It was replaced by the miracle of 3D printing. Since that event, other miracles have occurred that have enabled birds and other creatures to carry on with their lives. But as science improves so do its methods.

Parrot in Need of a Helping Hand

Recently a white-eyed conure with a severely damaged beak was discovered in the wild and brought to a Brazil-based animal center. With the damage assessed, it was realized that the bird would have little chance of survival in the wild given the state of its beak. The beak was so severely damaged it was almost non-existent. Enter the visionaries of Renascer Acn in both the founder of the agency, Paulo Roberto Martins, and a veterinarian, Dr. Maria Ângela Panelli Marchió.

After the arrival of the parrot, the two professionals spent some time to figure what would improve the unfortunate accident to the parrot’s decimated beak. The solution was a resin creation of a beak that was affixed to the bird. The veterinarian had experience in critical situations and was essential to the restoration process. After a bit of rehabilitation, it was determined that the bird could never go back into the wild due to the possibility of the resin beak failing. The parrot was lucky once in being found and saved. It might not be so lucky a second time should the beak fail.

New Beak Offers a New Lease on Life

A prosthetic beak gave this parrot a new lease on life.

The parrot will reside in the home of Paulo’s Renascer ACN’s home-base with the newly assigned name of Maritaca. Currently, the facility houses around 150 birds. The facility was started back in 2017 after the rescue of a macaw parrot, who had hit a wire and was damaged. Rather than see the bird euthanized, Paulo decided to take care of the bird especially since it was known that the bird had eggs to care for. It was then that he decided to start the agency by which he now cares for many birds, including the parrot with the repaired prosthetic beak.

On average, the facility rescues about four animals a week. The facility is operated on donations, a stipend from the local government, and personal funds from the founder. As with many facilities, donations are welcomed and help to make the lives of creatures and birds better. One can easily imagine the possibility that the plight of the parrot with the damaged beak might have been unresolved if Renascer Acn were not available to provide the help it so desperately needed.

If interested, you can go to the Facebook page of Renascer Acn and watch their work unfold.

 

One thought on “Prosthetic Beak Saves Injured Wild Parrot

  1. This procedure in a psittacine parrot vs a toucan is totally different beak anatomy and physiology.
    These injured birds adapt well to the missing beak parts and the prosthetics will NOT last but will slough off after
    a few weeks or months. I think these articles are just attempts at marketing their great efforts but is not the best use of 3-D printing or avian medicine

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