This is news worth trumpeting! Custom animal-prosthetics maker Derrick Campana has crafted the world’s very first elephant knee brace. Meet his patient and see the fascinating process in the Wizard of Paws Season 4 finale, which is a super-sized 90-minutes.
Hey, you need a big episode to tell the story of providing groundbreaking relief to injured pachyderm Mae Mai, a resident of Thailand’s Elephant Nature Park. Her knee is dislocated due to a traumatic injury. She desperately needs the brace to help her heal properly; provide stability so she can walk with less pain; and prevent the injury from worsening.
Making this very unusual support device for Mae Mai takes three months. The veterinary team at the Elephant Nature Park first makes a cast of her leg that is sent to Derrick’s U.S. workshop. There, he creates a brace as close to the perfect fit as possible. For the best results, he travels to Thailand for final in-person adjustments.
A happy Mae Mai is on the road to recovery – along with a buddy. While Derrick is there, he helps a young bull elephant, Khun Dej, who needs a front leg prosthesis!
Check out an exclusive first look at the episode in the photo above, and get a sneak peek in the clip below.
The Wizard of Paws, Season 4 Finale, Sunday, August 14, 7/6c, BYUtv
Episodes of the series are available to stream free on the BYUtv app.