Vets struggle to perform eye surgery on a Greater One-horned rhinoceros

The eye issue came to light when the zookeepers noticed the 19-year-old rhino had started bumping into logs and other structures in his paddock at the conservation zoo

Hyderabad: Hugo, a Greater One-horned rhinoceros at the Whipsnade Zoo, England started developing an eye issue – where the lenses of his eyes had become cloudy and had drastically impacted Hugo’s eyesight. 

The eye issue came to light when the zookeepers noticed the 19-year-old rhino had started bumping into logs and other structures in his paddock at the conservation zoo. 

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Soon, vets at the Whipsnade Zoo performed a sight-saving eye surgery on the rhinoceros. Now, the video has left several netizens surprised about the process.  

The cataract surgery was performed by specialist veterinary ophthalmologist, Claudia Hartley – as it would be the first time the procedure had ever been performed on the species at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. 

After being given an amount of powerful anaesthesia, Hugo initially laid himself on his right side – the side that vets needed access to. Well, the team of keepers and vets had to roll the massive creature which weighs one-and-a-half tons – to bring him into the position for the procedure. 

Watch the behind-the-scenes of the unusually operation: 

An English zoo performed a ‘life-changing’ eye procedure on Hugo, a 19-year-old greater one-horned rhino, to remove his cataracts. While being operated on, the zoo says Hugo was under a level of anesthesia ‘strong enough to kill 14 people.’ The rhino has 'recovered brilliantly.' pic.twitter.com/llQguhbvfe

— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) September 24, 2021

Keepers and vets were also instructed to be especially careful not to touch their own faces after touching Hugo, as the amount of powerful anaesthetic required to tranquillise a rhino of his size, which could have remained on his skin or in his bodily fluids, was strong enough to kill 14 people. 

However, after the procedure, Hugo has recovered well and can see the colours of the world clearly. 

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