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This tortoise was given wheels after injuring his legs during sex

Picture:
Picture:
Mustard TV/YouTube Screengrab

His name is "Bert".

Bert is a 22 year old African spurred tortoise, kept in the Dinosaur Adventure Park, Norwich.

African spurred tortoises are the largest on the continent's mainland.

Bert, weighing 100 kg, (trooper that he is) participated in a two month breeding programme in 2011.

Picture: Picture: Mustard TV/YouTube Screengrab

Following his fathering of numerous offspring from five female tortoises, Bert returned to Norwich.

His keepers at the park discovered he had developed swelling on his back legs.

This swelling was a sign of 'early' onset arthritis (tortoises normally develop it after the age of 30, and often live until 80).

During the programme, Bert also had a fight with his own brother, which exacerbated the problems.

Bert had overextended himself and in order to combat the harm done to his back legs he was given a set of wheels.

Picture: Picture: Mustard TV/YouTube Screengrab

According to his keepers, Bert is the heaviest tortoise ever to be given such a set of wheels.

He wears them intermittently, most often during the Winter when his arthritis flares up.

Tortoises' reputation as lotharios roll on.

HT IFL Science

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