A wild Eastern box turtle at The Maryland Zoo who is injured, is getting a lift from a one-of-a-kind ride, thanks to some clever engineering, a custom-made wheelchair using Lego bricks. The wounded creature was discovered by a zoo employee over the summer in US state Maryland’s Druid Hill Park and was taken to the hospital. The Senior Director of Animal Health, Conservation and Research at the Zoo, Dr Ellen Bronson said that the turtle had multiple fractures on his plastron—the bottom part of his shell. Due to such exceptional placement of the fractures, the veterinarians faced a challenge in maintaining the turtle’s mobility while allowing him to heal properly. Turtle Found in British Woman’s Vagina, Police Launch Sexual Assault Investigation. 

According to a press release by Maryland Zoo, the veterinary team did surgery to stabilise the turtle’s fractured shell. Garrett Fraess, a veterinary extern at the Zoo, said, “It was important to keep the bottom of the shell off the ground so it could heal properly. They don’t make turtle-sized wheelchairs. So, we drew some sketches of a customized wheelchair and I sent them to a friend who is a LEGO enthusiast.” A few weeks after the operation, the 18-year-old turtle had his own multi-colour Lego wheelchair, which gets him off the ground allowing his legs to move. Man Gets Bitten by a Turtle on Lips After He Tried to Smooch Him During a Fishing Trip in Massachusetts. 

Watch video of the wild eastern box turtle moving around in his custom-made wheelchair.

“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 Fraess. The design also allows him to display natural behaviours, like fully closing his shell if he feels threatened. Turtles heal much slower than other mammals and birds. Until, his shell has completely healed, with the strength of his front legs, the turtle will continue to use his private transportation to move around.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 27, 2018 09:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).