A veterinary team at Jurong Bird Park in Singapore has used bamboo chopsticks to repair an injured eagle’s damaged wing.
On 7 January, a member of the public alerted the park to the injured hawk-eagle which was then collected and brought to the park’s avian hospital for treatment.
The bird was assessed to be in good health, aside from its damaged wing, for which the veterinary team decided to imp its wings and tail feathers to help accelerate its recovery.
The process included collecting over 50 replacement feathers while using bamboo chopsticks as imping needles to affix the new feathers.
Dr. Ellen Rasidi, veterinarian at Jurong Bird Park, said the method for imping is similar to humans getting hair extensions.
“However, unlike hair extensions, we have to be extra meticulous in ensuring that each individual replacement feather is carefully trimmed, measured and arranged in the right position to match the patient’s original feather length and orientation as much as possible.
“Each feather is shaped differently and fixing them in incorrect angles may affect the aerodynamics of the bird’s flight.”
After the successful operation the bird was released into the while with a real-time satellite tracking device attached to its tail, allowing the bird to be tracked and monitored after its release.
Image supplied by Jurong Bird Park.