Jumbo’s New Lease on Life: Amputee Elephant Motola Receives High-Tech Prosthetic Leg

A life-changing moment for Motola the elephant and a significant advancement for injured animals worldwide.

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Ten years after losing her foot and most of her left leg to a landmine, Motola took a confident step forward with her newly-fitted, state-of-the-art prosthetic limb.

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Leg up: Motala, 48, has been fitted with a prosthetic limb after a landmine blew off her leg. Source: Daily Mail

The 48-year-old elephant embraced her first walk with the artificial leg, cautiously stepping out of her enclosure, using her trunk to toss dust in the air playfully.

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Soraida Salwala, the founder of the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation in Thailand, expressed satisfaction with Motola’s progress, noting that she had already walked around twice. Although not yet bearing her whole weight on the prosthetic, Motola is adjusting well.

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Easy does it: Elephant keepers help fit the artificial leg for Motola, who became a symbol of the plight of today’s elephants. Source: Daily Mail

The devastating accident occurred in 1999 when Motola was working at a logging camp near the Thai-Burmese border, an area littered with landmines due to decades of civil war.

When her owner let her forage for food in a nearby forest, she inadvertently stepped on a landmine, leading to the amputation of her severely damaged leg.

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Over the past three years, Motola has been using a temporary device to strengthen her leg muscles and tendons in preparation for her permanent prosthesis.

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Finishing touches: Members of the Prostheses Foundation adjust the leg so that it fits the elephant exactly. Source: Daily Mail

The fitting procedure utilized enough anesthesia to render 70 people unconscious and earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Prostheses Foundation, known for creating artificial limbs for human amputees, crafted Motola’s new leg.

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Her treatment occurred at the world’s first Elephant Hospital in northern Thailand, established by Soraida in 1993.

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Comfort: Solaida Salvala, the founder of Friends of the Asian Elephant group, consoles Motola before the fitting at the Elephant Hospital in Lampang, northern Thailand. Source: Daily Mail
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The facility has cared for thousands of elephants suffering from various ailments, including eye infections and gunshot wounds.

Wild and domestic elephant populations have faced drastic declines due to modernization. While the number of elephants used in industries such as transportation and logging has dropped from 13,400 in 1950 to 2,500 today, the only expanding sector is tourism, where elephants are utilized for trekking.

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Success: Motola splashes dust in the air after walking out of an enclosure with her newly-fitted artificial leg. Source: Daily Mail

Read more Elephant News.

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Canidae Pet Food Reviews: An In-Depth Look

Choosing the right pet food is crucial for the health and well-being of our furry friends. In this blog post, we'll delve deep into Canidae pet food, a popular choice among pet owners, and provide an in-depth review based on various sources.

Canidae is a well-known brand in the pet food industry, offering a range of products designed to cater to pets of all ages, breeds, and sizes.

Product Range:

  • Canidae All-Life Stages (Dry): This vet-formulated product suits dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. It's available in both dry and wet formulas.
  •  Canidae Pure: A limited-ingredient diet crafted for dogs with food sensitivities. Each recipe typically includes 7 to 10 ingredients.

Key Ingredients

The Canidae All Life Stages Multi Protein Formula, which represents the brand's product line, contains ingredients like chicken meal, turkey meal, brown rice, peas, oatmeal, and barley. Chicken meal, the primary ingredient, is a meat concentrate with nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

Recalls and Safety

Canidae has had recalls in the past. It's essential to stay updated with the brand's recall history to ensure your pet's safety.

Customer Reviews

The Canidae Dog Food product line has earned an overall rating of 4.5 stars from The Dog Food Advisor. The Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food has received the Advisor's second-highest tier rating of 4.5 stars.

Pros and Cons:

  • Pros: High protein content, suitable for all life stages, contains beneficial ingredients like flaxseed and taurine.
  •  Cons: It contains some controversial ingredients, and not all minerals are chelated, which might affect absorption.

Conclusion

Canidae All Life Stages is a grain-inclusive dry dog food that uses a notable amount of named meat meals as its primary source of animal protein. With an above-average protein content and a profile suggesting a significant amount of meat, it comes highly recommended for pet owners.