Three-Ton Elephant Amputee Receives Super-Industral-Strength Prosthetic Limb

Even Elephants Need Prosthetics Apichart Weerawong/AP

For humans, getting fitted with a prosthetic limb is now a relatively simple process. But how do you fit and prepare a three ton, 48-year old elephant for a prosthetic leg? With three years of practice and therapy, of course.

Motola the elephant had her leg shredded when she walked over a landmine in Thailand 10 years ago. The damage was so bad they had to remove the leg completely. Her operation also required enough anesthetic to put 70 people into a deep sleep.

And because Motola lost so much weight after the injury, much of the three years was spent wearing a temporary practice leg that helped strengthen her muscles and tendons. Now, back to healthy physical conditions Motola is walking again on her new leg (even if she's still getting used to it). [via SF Gate via Gizmodo]