This Bear Named "Champa" Just Survived a Brain Surgery

This Asiatic Black bear named Champa has just undergone successful brain surgery. This is the first time brain surgery had ever been performed on a bear and photographed. She was only a cub when an Australian conservation group rescued her from poachers. Her handlers noticed that a protruding growth in her forehead made it difficult for her to socialize with other bears. According to reports, as the growth slowed, her behavior became increasingly erratic and her vision faded. Veterinarians diagnosed her as having hydrocephalus or water on the brain.

Romain Pizzi, the veterinary surgeon who performed the surgery, said, "Having hydrocephalus is like having an absolutely mind-blowing, constant migraine."

In Western countries, animals with hydrocephalus are are usually euthanized and if left untreated, she would have died an agonizing death.