14 DAY TRIAL // Had Buttercup, the duck pictured above, been born in the wild, it probably would have died at a very early age. This is because, when it emerged from the egg, its left foot was bent backwards.
Luckily for the duckling, its hatching place was the Feathered Angels Waterfowl Sanctuary in Arlington, Tennessee.
The staff at this animal shelter surgically removed the bad flipper, making life a tad easier for Buttercup.
Still, it was 3D modeling company NovaCopy that turned the duck's life around when they decided to manufacture a prosthetic foot for it, Tree Hugger reports.
The foot is made from a light-sensitive polymer, and its flexibility is similar to that of real duck flippers.
Buttercup is scheduled to be fitted with its new foot in a couple of weeks. Once this happens, it will be able to lead a normal life.