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This bald eagle had been shot in the face by a
poacher in 2005. Its beak was damaged badly enough that
she couldn’t eat without help. Luckily, animal rescue
workers found her before she starved to death. Volunteers
from nonprofit group 'Birds of Prey Northwest' nursed her
back to health via tube-feeding and, later, hand-feeding with
forceps.
With the help of new
engineering techniques from Kinetic Engineering Group, and
together with other scientists, engineers, and even a dentist,
they designed a nylon polymer beak that would perfectly replace
Beauty’s lost upper mandible. They used a 3-D modeling
program, then used a 3-D printer to fabricate it. With her
prosthetic, the eagle can now eat, drink, and preen herself on
her own.
The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the
United States of America.
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