Grecia to Get a 3D-Printed Prosthetic Beak

Here at Daily Diamond, we love the stories about animals being given a new lease of life with prosthetics. You might remember us telling you about Dudley the duck getting a new leg after losing his in a fight with some chickens. So, we couldn't wait to share this heart-wrenching-turned-heart-warming story with you about Grecia, the toucan. Grecia is named after the area he was found in, in Costa Rica, rescued after being attacked by a group of teenagers with a block of wood. During the incident, the upper part of Grecia's bill broke off, leaving the poor bird practically helpless. Without the top of his beak, Grecia has extreme difficulty eating by himself. Toucans also use their beaks to regulate their temperature, and the female birds choose their mate based on the colour of his beak. You might have learnt about Grecia's mistreatment via social media last month. He was taken in by the Zoo Ave animal rescue centre in San José, where he has been looked after by Dr Carmen Soto. "The quantity he manages to eat on his own is very small," she explained, "so we have to help him." Shortly after he was taken in and his story was released to the media, a crowdfunding campaign was started on IndieGoGo, which quickly surpassed the initial target of $5,000 (£3,300). Through this campaign, several companies got wind of the toucan's situation and volunteered their 3D-printing services to provide Grecia with a new beak. Nelson Martinez, who is designing the perfect new beak for Grecia, explained that using any adhesive with chemical components could compromise the structure of the beak. Because of this, the team is working a model with both a fixed part and a movable part so that the beak can still be cleaned, and as Grecia grows, the beak can be replaced. While a horrible thing for any animal to have to go through, there are a couple of silver linings to what has happened to Grecia - though it certainly shouldn't have had to come this far. Firstly, the organiser of the IndieGoGo campaign said that as Grecia has been offered a new beak, he won't need the funds that have so far been donated. The money will now be going to a new animal hospital to help any other animals that are found in the same situation as Grecia was. Costa Rica's president, Luis Guillermo Solís, has also announced that the tragic surroundings of Grecia's situation highlighted the need for an animal cruelty bill to be passed. "These acts go against the respectful and peaceful society that characterises Costa Rica," he added. Grecia's bill isn't ready just yet, but we'll be sure to let you know when we know more. If you would like to donate to the IndieGoGo campaign, you can do so here .