3 Legged Elephant Gets Prosthetic Leg
Mocha, a three-legged elephant, is walking without limping today after being fitted with a prosthetic leg.
Mocha lost her right front leg three years ago when she stepped on a landmine at the Thai-Myanmar border. The new canvas leg comes courtesy of Thai vets at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital in northern Thailand. The vets taking care of her hope to free Mocha soon.
Mocha isn’t the first elephant fitted with a prosthetic. A 44-year-old Thai elephant named Motala was fitted with a sawdust filled canvas foot in 2005 after losing her foot to a landmine in 1999.
“[Motala] didn’t show sign of annoying or anything,” hospital founder Soraida Salwala said. “She has been very cooperative and I think when we put more weight on it, then she could finally stretch out the muscles and the tendons and we hope she will finally put the weight on it.”
By RMJ on 15-07-2009
Comment by pacat
July 15th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
I CAN'T SEE HOW THEY WILL LET HER GO FREE.sHE IS A BABY NOW AND WILL OUT GROW HER LEG IN TIME. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IS JUST PLAIN WEARS OUT? nATURE IS CRUEL TO ANIMALS THAT CAN'T TAKE OF THEMSELVES.
Comment by Trish
July 15th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Landmines should be banned the world over. It is obvious that it isn't just people who get hurt, but innocent creatures like these elephants. THe keepers have to know that these elephants will not be able to survive in the wild without human intervention.
Comment by jas
July 16th, 2009 at 11:41 am
"THe keepers have to know that these elephants will not be able to survive in the wild without human intervention. "
thats true,Poor Creatures are suffering human cruelities.Mocha should b taken care of and Vet hospitals like this one should set up in india too,for the sake of animals who are not owned.
Comment by Ryan
July 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Alot of landmine injuries are from old unfound mines.
Im sure the elephant will be fine, unless a very large species of tiger appears.
I also assume it will be tracked, and adjustments made to the belt and leg.
Comment by pacat
July 16th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
When poor stumpies prothetic wears out what will happen? It is bad enough that we would have to use a wheelchair or crutches,what will this guy do? It's a little too big for a wheelchair.lol
Comment by Anon
July 16th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I guess they'll keep an eye on it, they like putting tracking devices on animals they release back into the wild.
I guess when it grows out of its new leg, or the leg wears out they'll give it a new one.
Comment by pacat
July 17th, 2009 at 3:07 am
yeah,THUMP,THUMP,THUMP,BUMP!!! Down falls baby eliie.By the time the baby can be found it is prey for any roaming meat eater. In this case I think It is better to keep it in captivity.I hate to see it fenced in butthe options don't seem promising
Comment by two-faced joel
September 4th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
three legged elephant?! 1 is a fake leg
Comment by Patrick Bateman
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:34 am
So a a three legged Elephant walks into a bar and……
Isn't this the beginning of a joke?