GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Animal care and human rehabilitation experts at John Ball Zoo and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation teamed up to help an unlikely animal patient. Animal care specialists at John Ball Zoo noticed 14-year-old Andes the Chilean Flamingo developed a limp during the winter. Realizing he would need some extra support, the team of specialists reached out to Mary Free Bed's Orthotics & Prosthetics team to see if they could help the bird.
Flamingos are delicate animals, with thin limbs and joints that can break a lot easier than humans. Andes was not putting weight on his one leg, and after a while the team decided a new brace would be the best approach to rehabilitation.
Brittany Weeks is a Certified Orthotist and the Site Lead for Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics, and she and her team partnered with John Ball Zoo's Director of Animal Health Dr. Ryan Colburn to accomplish the feat. Because of Andes' different anatomy, his brace had to be specially designed to fit his right leg.
Using wooden dowels and clay to create the design, the team was able to create a prototype. After more work was done to produce a final design, Andes was fitted with the orthotic made of lightweight thermoplastics, metal joints and a foam liner that doesn't absorb water and can be removed.
"We'll actually take it off and check it every couple of weeks. He likes picking at the velcro," says Dan Hemmann, an Area Curator at John Ball Zoo, adding "we'll make sure it's secure and replace the velcro straps and just make sure it's comfortable and fitting him".
Chilean Flamingos like Andes can live to be 40-60 years old in human care, and with the help of the cast, he can now focus less on his leg, and more time eating and mingling with the other flamingos.
Because of the nature of rehabilitation, the animal care team will monitor Andes' recovery for as long as he needs his cast. If you want to see Andes and his Flamingo friends, you can head to John Ball Zoo Friday, July 18 for Pink Flamingo Day. You can find tickets to John Ball Zoo at jbzoo.org/tickets.
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