News article brought to you by Stihl and Husqvarna Chain Saws
A chain saw, concrete drills and hand saws were used at the Oregon Zoo to remove the infected tusk of Tusko the elephant. Removing the tusk proved to be a difficult job that took twenty people many hours to accomplish. The rock hard ivory was removed in slabs of a foot long leaving only a small ring that will be removed later. The 13,500 pound elephant broke both his tusks many years ago and had the right one removed. The left one was sawed off and left in the hope that it would heal but the infection persisted until it had to be removed.
Tusko was anaesthetised during the procedure and recovered fully after the operation. The zoo’s veterinarian Mitch Finnegan was concerned that the operation would put Tusko at risk but decided that the risks of leaving the infected tusk in place were higher.
News story reported by Red Orbit
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.