Flamingo recovers with custom brace from orthopedist

TYLER, Texas (KLTV/Gray News) - A Chilean flamingo at Tyler’s Caldwell Zoo is recovering from a soft tissue injury to his ankle joint with the help of a custom-built brace.Queenie, 9, got spooked and ran while on exhibit, tearing ligaments in his ankle. Bird Department Supervisor Nichole Moore said keepers noticed him lagging behind.“He sustained this injury on exhibit. We saw him lagging behind his flock. And then we decided since he’s so tactile, we’d be able to get him in hand and really help him,” Moore said.Injury first appeared years agoThe injury first showed up in 2021. Medicine did not fully fix the problem, so the zoo worked with Ben Guenther, an orthopedist who typically builds braces and prosthetics for people. Guenther designed a brace for Queenie.“This was the best opportunity for him because we would be able to put a brace on him and work with him and make sure it would really work so he would be able to live a really long life,” Moore said.Why leg function mattersFlamin