A southern ground hornbill at Artis Zoo in Amsterdam has received two 3D-printed prosthetic sections replacing both its upper and lower beak, a world-first restoration of both parts. The beak is essential for preening, foraging and normal behavior; after breaking it the bird managed with stumps but experienced functional restrictions. Veterinary staff reported immediate success: the hornbill began using the prostheses the day of surgery, independently picked up a small mouse the next morning and resumed preening within days.
Teams from Artis, Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UMC Utrecht and Amnovis collaborated on the procedure. Using a CT scan and preserved fragments of the original beak, Joëll Magré designed the replacements and Amnovis manufactured titanium components. Surgeons Bjorn Meij and Lucinda van Stee performed the operation following a treatment plan developed by Artis veterinarian Martine van Zijl Langhout and avian specialist Yvonne van Zeeland. The bird will be closely monitored for long-term function; if the prostheses prove durable, the approach will expand options for reconstructive veterinary care for birds.
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