Baby Giraffe gets Artificial Leg!
Giraffe Gets Artificial Leg After Accident
Thu May 16, 7:58 AM ET
By Elaine Lies
TOKYO (Reuters) - A young giraffe in Japan has gained a new lease on life thanks to his devoted keepers and an artificial leg.
Keepers at Omoriyama Zoo in Akita, some 450 km (280 miles) north of Tokyo, feared for the life of nine-month-old Taiyo -- "Sun" -- after he fell and broke his right foreleg late in March in a run-in with a zebra.
"There was a male zebra in the same enclosure that often butted up against Taiyo, and we believe this may have startled him, and he slipped as he tried to run away," said Katsumi Chiba, a zoo official.
The limb was promptly placed in a cast, but by mid-April showed signs of necrosis, or tissue death, which threatened to lead to blood poisoning and take the little giraffe's life.
"He was so young, still a baby really," said Chiba. He added that Taiyo's robust appetite even after the accident hinted at surprising strength, and inspired the zoo to take unusual steps to save his life.
Several weeks of experiments followed as the frantic keepers pondered what to do, constructing numerous prototype legs out of materials as varied as plastic water pipes to bamboo, before finally succeeding.
On Tuesday, about 40 cm (16 inches) of Taiyo's leg was amputated in a six-hour operation -- a massive undertaking due both to his size and the physical delicacy of giraffes, which makes their care difficult.
"Even though he's a child, he still weighs more than 200 kg (440 lb) and stands 2.8 meters (9 ft 2 inches) tall," Chiba said.
Taiyo was then fitted with a length of bamboo some 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter with the bottom of a rubber boot attached to prevent slips. The bamboo is being held in place with duct tape and plaster.
Taiyo has recovered well, although he still favors his real leg.
"It must feel strange to him," Chiba said.
"But he's out there now with his mother, having a meal."
The long-term prognosis is far from clear, since keepers do not know what will happen as Taiyo grows bigger.
"And every time he needs treatment, it will have to be performed under anesthetic," Chiba said. "There may come a point where this may no longer be to his benefit."
