A male southern ground hornbill at Artis Zoo in Amsterdam has begun using a pair of artificial beak sections fitted through a 3D-printing procedure believed to be the first of its kind. The bird, which had suffered damage to both the upper and lower parts of its beak, showed signs of adapting to the replacements on the day of the operation, offering an encouraging early indication of the treatment’s success.
The injury had left the hornbill with two beak stumps, making everyday activities more difficult even though he could still manage some tasks. The beak plays a vital role beyond feeding, helping southern ground hornbills search for food, probe the soil and maintain their feathers. Restoring both sections was therefore important to improving the bird’s ability to carry out these basic behaviours.
