Injured turtle at Maryland Zoo no longer needs LEGO wheelchair

BALTIMORE (AP) — A wild turtle who came to the Maryland Zoo with a broken shell has traded his wheelchair made of Legos for a pile of mulch.

WMAR-TV reports that it's time for the grapefruit-sized eastern box turtle to get ready for winter brumation, a period similar to hibernation during which reptiles become dormant to conserve energy.

The turtle was found in July with fractures to the underside of his shell. After surgery, he was fitted with a custom wheelchair to keep his shell off the ground and enable his legs to move.

The Maryland Zoo posted a video showing staff removing his wheelchair to make it easier for him to burrow down for the next six months. The zoo built a large outdoor brumation habitat mimicking his natural habitat.