Struttin' His Stuff In Style!

Chhouk, a 3 year old Asian elephant, was discovered alone in the forests in the Sprepok Wilderness area of Cambodia after his front left foot was caught in a trap.

The foot had become infected. Chhouk was severely malnourished and barely able to stand. His heartbroken rescuers feared he would never walk again.

But now, Chhouk is putting his best foot forward thanks to surgical treatment and his new pachyderm-sized foot prosthetic.

The Cambodian Wildlife Alliance and the WWF quickly arranged for Chhouk to be sent on an 26-hour journey to a rescue centre in Phnom Tamao, Cambodia, for treatment. A surgical team cut off 12cm of infected tissue, cleaned Chhouk's wounds and slowly nursed the poor elephant back to health.

Chhouk was off balance due to his missing foot, making it almost impossible for him to walk. Due to the enormous strain being put of one side of his body, Chhouk would have developed bone deformities, particularly to his spine, so a false foot was crucial. The Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics were contacted to make Chhouk the false foot that would help him walk freely.

Chhouk needed no anaesthetic or painkillers when the prosthetic limb – which will need changing as he grows – was attached. A few turnips and bananas to keep him busy did the trick.

Now, the plucky jumbo has a new lease of life and has even been adopted by a 10-year-old female elephant named Lucky. The two elephants now spend all their time together and enjoy splashing in the water pool in their enclosure. Chhouk is now looking healthy, is full of energy and has quickly adjusted to walking with his new foot.

Chhouk is one of fewer than 300 Asian elephants remaining in Cambodia.

Source: telegraph.co.uk