Beauty was an American bald eagle who survived an injury that would normally have been fatal.

• In 2005, she was found near a landfill in Alaska after being illegally shot. The upper part of her beak was severely damaged.
• Without the upper half of her beak, she could not eat, drink, or preen properly and was extremely weak.
• She was taken to a rehabilitation center in Idaho, where she was initially fed through a tube and later with forceps.
• Since her beak could not heal naturally, biologists, veterinarians, and a mechanical engineer worked together to create a custom prosthetic beak for her.
• The beak was designed using scanning, 3D modeling, and a nylon-based polymer, with a titanium mount helping to hold it in place.
• Thanks to the prosthetic, Beauty was able to eat, drink, and preen on her own again.
• She could not be returned to the wild, but she lived for many years at the rehabilitation center and became an important example of how technology and human care can help save wildlife.
• According to later reports, Beauty passed away in the summer of 2024.

Bald eagles hold great cultural importance for many Indigenous Nations, and Beauty’s story reminds us of the importance of protecting wildlife, preserving natural habitats, and respecting laws that protect wild animals.

Nature and technology can work together to give an animal a second chance at life.