Residents of Tofino, British Columbia heard a gunshot and saw a truck driving away. After a bit of searching, they found a wounded eagle and quickly took it to Rory’s refuge where it was then transported to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington, BC.

The shot blew away most of the eagle’s upper beak, leaving just the tip, which remained attached to his skull by a thin piece of cartilage. Some veterinarians suggest that he be put down but volunteers persevered, and slowly the bird started to recover.

That’s when Dr. Brian Andrews from Nanaimo, BC offered his services.

Andrews took an exact mould and then built a wax model for dental technician Fred Leak of Victoria, to work with.

When the mould was ready, Leak constructed a permanent prosthesis and tinted it yellow to match the rest of the beak.

The eagle has since passed away, but lived for 7 years with his new beak.