Tortoise Loses Leg, Gains Wheel

Meet Gamera, an amputee tortoise who has recently received a different kind of appendage to aid in his maneuvers.

That's right.  His front left leg is now a wheel.  A wheel that is found more often affixed to an office chair than to a tortoise.  Gamera was brought to the vets at Washington State University by his owner due to horrific wounds on his front left leg.  The cause of the injury is unknown, but it was potentially life threatening, and the leg had to be amputated.  After this was done, the veterinarians attached a wheel in the leg's place with an epoxy adhesive.  Gamera is now thriving, as he has gained 3 pounds since his artificial limb was installed.  For those of you wondering, Gamera is named after the Japanese movie monster of the same name.  The monster was created in the 1960's to rival Godzilla.  Gamera was a giant flying turtle.

Surprisingly enough, I found that this is not the first time this procedure has been done.

This tortoise from Brazil had basically the same procedure done in March of this year.  The only difference is that in this case, an extra wheel was added for extra balance.

In the end, I am impressed beyond words at the strength and adaptation of these now bionic tortoises, and at the ingenious methods used by the veterinarians.

Photos from time.com and thestar.com