Turtle given new lease of life thanks to LEGO wheelchair
An injured turtle found in Maryland, USA is able to get around thanks to a LEGO wheelchair.
To help an injured eastern box turtle go about its daily life, Maryland Zoo vets have constructed a LEGO wheelchair for the immobile animal. The creature was found in Druid Hill Park in Maryland, USA, and was then taken to the Maryland Zoo hospital.
The animal had multiple fractures on the bottom of its shell, which gave the vets a challenge. The turtle needed to be mobile but also be able to heal. To overcome this, one of the zoo experts roped in a LEGO fan friend to build a wheelchair that could be attached to the shell. It allows the injured area to be raised off the ground, so it can heal properly.
When the LEGO wheelchair was completed and attached to the edges of the upper shell, the turtle adapted seamlessly to the mechanics of the toy.
“He never even hesitated. He took off and has been doing great. Turtles are really good at healing as long as the shell remains stable,” said zoo vet Garrett Fraess.
The story is reminiscent of the work of Dr Carsten Plischke, who helps disabled tortoises by building LEGO mobility aids for them. An injured cat was also recently helped with a brick built wheelchair.
Author Profile
- Graham was the Brick Fanatics Editor up until November 2020. He has plenty of experience working on LEGO related projects, including LEGO Star Wars: The Force of Creativity. He has contributed to various websites and publications on topics including niche hobbies, the toy industry and education.
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