Corrective surgery in New Zealand on the tip of the little kiwi’s bill means it will be able to lead a normal life
theguardian.com, Monday 1 December 2014 04.48 GMT
A baby kiwi has undergone two rounds of surgery to fix its crooked beak.
The 594-gram chick that is yet to be named was born in October with a misaligned bill.
Queenstown Kiwi Birdlife Park |
It was a complicated birth, with the kiwi undergoing an assisted hatch after staff at Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park realised it wouldn’t be able to kick free of its shell because it had its foot caught over its head, similar to a breach birth for humans.
Once born, it became apparent the chick’s misaligned beak would hinder feeding and inhibit its ability to survive and grow.
Massey University in Palmerston North suggested fixing the beak with a new technique being developed by veterinary surgeons at its Wildbase hospital.
No comments:
Post a Comment