When a wildfire destroyed this tortoise’s shell, the “Animal Avengers” assembled a new one for it, using a 3-D printer.
The group of veterinarians in Sao Paulo, Brazil, who use monikers from the Marvel series The Avengers, found the tortoise, nicknamed Freddy, with 85-percent of its protective shell burned away.
Dr. Paulo Miamoto — “Vision” — printed the shell in four parts designed to snap together like a jigsaw puzzle around Freddy.
Surgeon “Iron Man” Roberto Fecchio integrated the prosthetic into Freddy’s surviving shell. A custom paint job makes it look just like a tortoise would in nature.
The rise of 3D printing has been used ever more creatively in the rehabilitation of injured animals, including a new beak for a toucan, to spring-like paws for dogs.
The Animal Avengers have used the technology to build new beaks for parrots, macaws, and geese, but Freddy is believed to be the first tortoise in the world to receive a 3D printed shell.
WATCH: Bear Literally Can’t Stop Jumping For Joy After Being Rescued
“We first came together as friends because of our common love of science and our love for animals,” Dr. Fecchio told The Mirror describing how the six Animal Avengers came together. “We soon realized we could do some extraordinary work using cutting-edge technology to push back the boundaries of life-saving care for mutilated animals by giving them customized prostheses.”
CHECK OUT: Gorillas Spring into Action to Dismantle Poacher’s Traps
(WATCH the video below from Craters TV) — Photos: GC Noticias
Share the Super-Hero Story…