An elephant at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo was paid a visit from the dentist to fix a mammoth toothache, and keepers captured the whole procedure on camera.
Keepers noticed that 33-year-old Lucha, a female Asian elephant, was off her food and upon investigation from the vets, were able to get to the root of the problem; a wobbly tooth that had moved and become infected.
Vets called upon the services of West End dental surgeon Dr Peter Kertesz, a specialist in zoo dentistry, to help the team extract the massive molar.
Head Vet at the Zoological Society of London, Nic Masters said: “While most people dread the idea of a visit to the dentist, for Lucha the elephant it was a relaxed experience, due to the regular training and close relationship she has with our keepers.”
Lucha and the herd of ten Asian elephants at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo are part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
(With inputs from AP)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)