World first: Southern ground hornbill gets 3D printed beak prostheses at Artis Zoo

An injured southern ground hornbill at Artis Zoo in Amsterdam has received two 3D-printed prostheses to replace the broken upper and lower parts of its beak. And with great success. The bird was already using its new beak on the day of the surgery. “As far as is known, this is the first time in the world both parts of a bird’s beak have been restored in this way,” Artis said in a press statement on Thursday.

“A beak is essential to a bird,” the zoo said. The southern ground hornbill uses its beak to preen its feathers and forage for food, among other things. After breaking his beak, this hornbill managed reasonably well with his two remaining stumps, but his everyday behavior was restricted.

The procedure was a collaboration between Artis, Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UMC Utrecht, and Amnovis. Using a CT scan and the preserved sections of his original beak, Joëll Magré of UMC Utrecht developed the two 3D-printed beak sections. Amnovis manufactured the titanium components. Arttis veterinarian Martine van Zijl Langhout and avian specialist Yvonne van Zeeland developed the treatment plan.

Veterinary surgeons Bjorn Meij and Lucinda van Stee from Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine performed the operation. Then it was a matter of seeing whether the hornbill would accept his new beak. They didn’t have long to wait.

“He started using the prostheses on the day of the surgery. The following morning, he independently picked up a small mouse from the ground,” the zoo said. “After a few days, he also began preening his feathers.”

The researchers involved will continue to monitor his recovery closely, in the hope that the prostheses will continue to function well in the long term. “If they do, this innovative treatment could open up new possibilities in veterinary medicine.”