How 3D Printed Smart Eggs are Saving the Kakapo

22 MAR 2019

STEPHANIE DITTRICH

ISLAND NEWS, NEWS, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

The Critically Endangered Kakapo, a beloved parrot endemic to New Zealand, has seen renewed breeding success thanks to innovative technologies.

The future of the vibrant, forest green Kakapo has long been uncertain, due to human-introduced invasive rats, stoats, and feral cats. However, thanks to 3-D printing technology, this year’s breeding season has surpassed everyone’s expectations. 

The Kakapo is one of the more peculiar species within the avian world. In fact, it is referred to by some as the owl parrot thanks to the owl-like and somewhat comical appearance of its wide beak. It’s goofy and cute appearance aside, it is also the only species of bird in the entire world which is both nocturnal and flightless. However, what makes it unique also puts it at risk. Its inability to fly coupled with its habit of halting in peril at the sight of a predator has led to the steady decline of this species. It is currently categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, with only 147 adults currently residing on predator-free islands in New Zealand. 

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Bird at German park gets new leg from 3-D printer

Associated Press 10:19 a.m. ET April 10, 2017

Berlin — Soeckchen the secretary bird is now strutting around her home in northern Germany with an artificial leg produced using a 3-D printer.

Keepers at the Weltvogelpark bird park in Walsrode found 2-year-old Soeckchen (Little Socks) in her aviary with a broken left leg. Her lower leg had to be amputated.

Zookeepers turned to Lars Thalmann of e-Nable, which makes free prosthetic hands for children. The dpa news agency says it was the first time the organization had made a prosthesis for an animal.



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Team Of Experts Works Tirelessly To Give An Eagle A Brand New Beak

Beauty the bald eagle was horribly injured when a poacher shot her out of the sky. Though he didn’t manage to kill the beautiful creature, he did enough damage to ruin her life.

Missing a large portion of her beak, the hurt eagle was slowly falling apart. She couldn’t eat, she couldn’t drink, and she couldn’t clean her feathers; it was only a matter of time until this eagle finally died from her injury.

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One to ovoid? Using 3-D printing, researchers can study what causes birds to reject eggs with greater precision and repeatability

Date: May 26, 2015

Source: PeerJ

Summary: For decades, researchers have been making artificial eggs out of plaster, wood, and other materials to test how birds identify and reject the eggs that invading 'brood parasites' sometimes sneak into their nests. But these methods have many limitations; a new study is the first to test the usefulness of 3-D printed eggs for research on egg rejection.

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