Root the Turtle Gets a LEGO Makeover to Help Him Walk — And He Loves It
Twenty years ago, a small turtle with a big personality found his way into human care. Root, a wood turtle, was rescued by Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources after he was discovered missing his right front foot — an injury that would have left him dangerously vulnerable in the wild.
Because wood turtles are listed as “threatened” under the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act, Root was given a forever home at Oaklawn Farm Zoo. There, he lived safely for nearly two decades, until the zoo closed in 2023. That’s when Root moved to his new home: Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, and later, to the Museum of Natural History in Halifax.
It didn’t take long for Root to make an impression.
“He’s very bold, brave — I don’t want to say overbearing,” said Heather McKinnon Ramshaw, an animal care specialist at the museum.
Root became known for his fearless attitude, often climbing into the communal food bowl and asserting himself with the other turtles. Eventually, he earned a quieter solo spot at the museum, joining the ranks of a few other resident reptiles — including Gus, a 102-year-old gopher tortoise.
Root spends most of his days relaxing in a cozy, woodchip-lined enclosure or swimming in his tank. But three times a week, he goes on supervised strolls through the museum’s halls — part exercise, part enrichment.
That’s when staff noticed something concerning.
“Because one leg is essentially shorter than the other, we found that he was kind of clunking his shell down,” said McKinnon. “There was some wear on the shell, and we didn’t want it to get worse.”
The team initially tried bandages and medical tape to cushion his walk, but the fix was cumbersome. Then, inspiration struck — from an unlikely source.
The LEGO Liftoff
Last December, while preparing for a LEGO exhibit, naturalist interpreter Tessa Biesterfeld had a creative breakthrough: Why not build Root a custom support using LEGO bricks?
The result? A clever, green-checkered LEGO platform with wheels, attached to Root’s body using a small dog harness. The design is not only functional, but flexible — staff can easily modify it as Root’s needs change.
“We know it’s non-toxic, we can replace the parts as needed, and it’s very modular,” Biesterfeld explained.
Root took to his new wheels instantly.
“He only needed a day to get used to it,” she added. “He’s clearly going a little faster than the average wood turtle, but he seems happy to do so.”
Now, whenever Root hears the snap of his harness, he knows it’s go time.
A Long Life Ahead
While Root’s exact age isn’t known, wood turtles can live 50 to 80 years, meaning this plucky little guy could be around for many more decades — and his caretakers are committed to keeping him happy and healthy for all of them.
“We may have him for a while,” McKinnon said. “So we want to make sure he’s comfortable.”
With his LEGO wheels beneath him and a team that loves him, Root is rolling into his golden years in style — one click at a time.