How 3D printing saved a toucan.

• Position: THE BIG PICTURE - Brief article

When police spotted a female toucan at an animal fair in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earlier this year, they noticed she had only half a beak. It had likely been hacked off by animal traffickers, making it hard for her to eat. The toucan, named Tieta, was malnourished and faced an uphill battle to survive if not for the wonders of modern technology. The police handed her over to a wildlife management group, which worked with three Brazilian universities to design and 3D-print a new prosthetic beak for Tieta. Three months later, the 0.14-ounce prosthesis was screwed into the remaining part of her real beak. It took her three days to learn how to use it, but she can now eat by herself. The plan is to put her in a zoo, where researchers hope to highlight the uses of 3D printing and...