A tortoise that survived a forest fire, two cases of pneumonia, and 45 days without food has been given a second chance at life.
The red-footed tortoise named “Freddy” lost 85 percent of her shell in a forest fire in Brazil. Her shell continued sloughing off after the fire, leaving her defenseless.
Lucky for Freddy, she had a team of veterinarians, 3D print designers, and an artist on her side to design her a brand new shell.
The team first designed the shell in a computer program using another tortoise as reference.
Next, the framework was printed out into 4 separate interlocking pieces that fit together like a puzzle. The bright white material used for the shell was a type of plastic made from corn, which looked a bit unusual atop the rescued reptile. Realizing this, a local artist stepped in to paint the shell to make it look more natural.
Red-footed tortoises are listed as vulnerable due to habitat destruction and the pet trade, so every animal saved is important for species survival.
This isn’t the only story of 3D printed prosthetics for an animals; there are countless others including a beak for a bald eagle, a jaw for a sea turtle, and a foot for a duck.
What do you think of her new shell?
