國家地理:殘疾烏龜重獲自由

Arava, the disabled tortoise is using her new set of wheels to get around in more ways than one. Keepers at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo say the 10-year-old Spurred Tortoise was fitted with custom wheels to overcome paralysis of her hind legs.
The 55-pound tortoise is unable to move herself forward with just her front legs, so the zoo staff built her a metal frame with two wheels that can be strapped around her shell.
“We don't really know the reason why it's paralyzed, why this tortoise is paralyzed. We tried to find out to determine what is the cause. We didn't find it. So instead of just leaving it to move only with her front legs, we invented if we may say so ,ur, wheels, that were attached to her rear legs and it's allowed, and supposed to move almost freely in the enclosure."
Yedvad says it's not that Arava has come out of her shell with her unique new wheelchair, but that a particularly amorous 10-year-old male has been after her since her arrival. But despite some improvement, Arava still finds it difficult at times to use the new device. The handicapped tortoise is not able to writhe herself without assistance and the employees at the zoo have to do it.
"The wheelchair is a little bit heavy so I hope in the future it will have a lighter one."
這只名叫Arava的殘疾烏龜現(xiàn)在使用新裝的輪子可以向不同的方向移動。耶路撒冷圣經(jīng)動物園的管理員說，這只烏龜已經(jīng)10歲了，由于后腿癱瘓，現(xiàn)在新安裝了輪子以方便行動。
這只重達55磅的烏龜只用前腿無法前行，所以動物園的職工為她建造了一個帶兩個輪子的金屬架，可以用繩子綁在龜殼上。
“我們不知道她為什么癱瘓了。我們試圖找出原因，但是始終不明白。所以，我們就讓她只用前腿移動了，我們發(fā)明了，或許可以這樣說，我們發(fā)明了輪子，可以取代她的后腿。帶著這個附件她仍然可以自由移動。”
Yedvad說，Arava肯出殼并不是因為她有新的輪椅，而是自從她來了之后，一只10歲的雄龜開始愛慕她，追求她。但是，雖然行動方面有些改善，但是，有時候Arava使用這個新的裝備仍然有點困難。沒有動物園員工的幫助，這只殘廢的烏龜沒辦法自己來回折騰。
“這個輪椅太重了，所以我希望今后能有一個輕一點的。”