22 Year Old Hornbill Bird in Singapore Receives a Custom 3D Printed Casque After Cancer Diagnosis

In July 2018, a beautiful 22 year old hornbill bird named Jary who lives at the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. The aggressive cancer had destroyed part of his beak and most of his casque (the helmet atop his beak). Not wanting Jary to suffer any further, Dr. Hsu Li Chieh of the National University of Singapore and Vet Emergency & Specialty Hospital, performed surgery to remove the cancerous cells and replace Jary’s casque with a brand new one that had been custom 3D printed. Since that time, Jary has adapted quite well to his prosthesis and even colored it himself.

photos via Wildlife Reserves Singapore (video)

via BBC