An animal rehabilitation center in Brazil is being hailed for its innovation in helping an injured parrot with a missing beak found in the wild.
The bird was admitted to the center, and a handmade prosthetic beak was contracted, allowing the parrot to be able to eat again and fully recover.
Experts at Renascer ACN, an animal rehabilitation center located in Planura, Brazil, were shocked when a rescued parrot was admitted with its beak completely gone.
They knew time was ticking to help the bird. It couldn’t eat, climb, or fend for itself in the wild.
So, the professionals at Renascer decided to construct a prosthetic beak and give the bird a second chance at life.
Paulo Roberto Martins Nunziata, founder of Renascer ACN, teamed up with Dr. Maria Angela Panelli Marchió, an animal orthopedics and rehabilitation expert, to take on this challenging procedure.
He added that her expertise was instrumental to their success.
“Dr. Maria Angela Panelli Marchió helps animals rescued in critical condition and gives them a chance to survive and return to nature,“ he said. ”She specializes in animal orthopedics and rehabilitates injured animals with handmade plastic resin prosthesis.”
Fortunately, they were able to create a fully functioning prosthetic beak, made from acrylic glass. The material is similar to plexiglass, and the synthetic implement ended up being so strong, it will withstand all the normal wear and tear that a parrot could exert.
“The process is completely handmade,” Nunziata added. “The material used, polymethylmethacrylate, has a quick hardening (three to five minutes) and is so resistant that it would need a chainsaw to be removed.”
The parrot is now fully recovered and carrying on with life, almost as usual.
However, despite Dr. Marchió’s contribution, the rescued bird will not be able to return to the wild. Veterinarians expressed concern that even though the beak is extremely durable, it could become detached from the bird’s remaining natural beak over time.
“Today it has a normal life,” Nunziata said. “However, it just can’t be returned to its natural habitat because even though the prosthesis is resistant, there’s risk of it falling off over time, as these animals use their beaks for everything.”
Still, it’s encouraging to know the little guy is able to live out the quality of life he deserves, all thanks to the expert dedication of his rescuers.
