Penza, 11 June 2014. PenzaNews. A unique surgery on prosthetics of leg of gray crane female named Aksinya was held in Penza zoo.

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The bird was assigned to the menagerie of Oka State Nature Reserve within the actions for protection of gene pool of cranes in 2013.

Later the crane was scared by some visitor, it rushed to the net and broke its leg. The fracture was very serious — specialists were unable to save the limb, and amputation was performed.

Subsequently, the zoo staff, studying a large amount of literature, mostly foreign, designed a prosthetic leg. To give it aesthetic look, they turned to “Penza Prosthetic-Orthopaedic Enterprise,” where they received necessary help.

Currently, Aksinya with prosthesis is on display.

“Such artificial limbs for birds are a unique experience in ornithology among zoos. Administration of the institution expresses sincere gratitude for patience, ingenuity and professionalism of chief veterinarian Nikolai Zorin, the head of the department of ornithology Svetlana Kolesnikova and zoologist Alla Rozhkova,” the administration of Penza zoo commented for news agency “PenzaNews.”

The zoo also expressed hope that in the near future Aksinya and the male, which is in the collection of the institution, will couple.