R&M’s Loadmate helps save elephant
30 November 2011Lifting equipment manufacturer R&M Materials Handling have been called on to help veterinary specialists in North Carolina lift a very unusual load, a 6.5USt partially-sighted elephant.
C’sar the elephant is one of North Carolina Zoo’s oldest male elephants, and has suffered with deteriorating eye-sight for some time.
A team of vets from North Carolina State University of Veterinary Medicine decided an operation to save the elephant’s eyesight was necessary, but the sedated C’sar had to be lifted into a suitable position to perform the procedure.
R&M Materials Handling agreed to help, supplying a Loadmate electric chain hoist for use as part of the lifting harness system designed to support the 6.5USt elephant.
After using the lifting harness system, the vets begun the procedure to remove cataracts in the zoo’s elephant barn.
After four hours the procedure was hailed a complete success, although 37-year-old C’sar will be left farsighted because of damaged tissue discovered in his left eye before the operation, which ruled out a lens replacement operation.
