Akita giraffe fitted with artificial leg

AKITA (Kyodo) A young giraffe at a zoo here has been surgically fitted with an artificial leg, zoo officials said Thursday.

Taiyo, a 9-month-old male giraffe at an Akita zoo, stands with the aid of an artificial leg.

Officials at the Omoriyama Zoo believe the procedure, which took place Tuesday, is the first of its kind in the world.

The 9-month-old giraffe, named Taiyo, broke its right foreleg in March when it bumped into a zebra.

Taiyo's leg was initially placed in a cast but it began showing signs of necrosis, placing the young animal's life at risk.

Doctors said they made a 40-cm incision to attach the artificial leg.

Taiyo stands about 2.8 meters tall and weighs 200 kg.