Thai elephant fitted with artificial limb, and more

Motola, a Thai elephant who lost part of her leg in 1999, this week began wearing an artificial limb made by the Prostheses Foundation.

Thai elephant fitted with artificial limb

In 1999, while working at a logging camp near the Myanmar border, a Thai elephant named Motola lost her left front foot and part of the leg when she stepped on a land mine. But this week, she began wearing an artificial limb that was made by the Prostheses Foundation, which also makes artificial human appendages. For 10 minutes, the 48-year-old Motola walked outside of her enclosure, the new leg easily supporting her. “She has not put her whole weight on it yet,” said Soraida Salwala of Friends of the Asian Elephant, “but she’s okay.”

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