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Our Local Superstar – Spotlight on LEGO the Leopard Toad!

19 Sep Posted by in Environment | 2 comments

Greetings all,

Not always we can say that one of our locals have reached  Read the amazing story of LEGO and how he has reached  “superstar status” while a couple of his friends might not have made it.  His recovery has been ongoing and he is adapting well… read further and we trust that this brings a smile to your day ….

 

 

The Two Oceans Aquarium recently added a new member to its family!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POST CONTAINS IMAGES OF AN INJURED ANIMAL.
IT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE.

 

Lego is an endangered Western leopard toad who is lucky to be alive – he’s here to share his survival story with you.

Affectionately named for his injury, Lego the Western leopard toad was brought to the Two Oceans Aquarium on 25 July 2018.

Lego soaks up some much-needed medication in his water bowl. Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

He was found on the road in the Cape Town suburb of Zeekoevlei at night after unfortunately having being hit by a car. He was making his annual journey to the breeding pools where he would have met other male toads waiting for female toads to join them for mating. His back-left limb was badly damaged, leaving bone and muscle tissue clearly exposed.

Lego arrived at the Aquarium with a badly injured leg. For a tiny toad like this, Lego is just lucky to have survived his encounter with a car. Credit: Devon Bowen/Two Oceans Aquarium.

Lego was taken to the Cape Exotic Animal Hospital in Durbanville the day he arrived at the Aquarium. He was examined by Dr Bernice van Huyssteen.

Dr van Huyssteen gets ready to perform the amputation on Lego’s injured leg. Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

Dr van Huyssteen took X-rays which confirmed that his back left limb was indeed broken and needed to be amputated.

Zap! Little Lego is ready for his X-ray! Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

Broken in three places, there was, unfortunately, no way Lego’s leg could be saved. Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital
“This one was brought to us by the staff of the Two Oceans Aquarium in need of urgent help. His leg was fractured in three places and had to be amputated. He initially had a slow recovery, but improved daily after his surgery. As he cannot be released again we are glad he will now be able to call the Two Oceans Aquarium his new home.”– Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

Anaesthetic gas is pumped into the glass bell to get Lego ready for surgery. Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

With his traumatised leg removed, Lego can now begin healing. Credit: Cape Exotic Animal Hospital

Lego remained under the watchful eye of the Animal Hospital’s team until he was collected on 30 July and brought back to the Aquarium where he was placed in quarantine and cared for by Animal Health Technician Tersia Greenstone, and given constant love and affection by the staff of the Aquarium’s Curatorial Department (who gave up a corner of their office for a temporary home for Lego).

Animal Health Technician Tersia Greenstone picks Lego up to examine his leg sutures. Credit: Devon Bowen/Two Oceans Aquarium.

Toads and other amphibians absorb chemicals through their skin, so it was not necessary to inject Lego with antibiotics – we could just drip them onto him. Credit: Devon Bowen/Two Oceans Aquarium.

Lego’s sutures have now healed and he has regained his original strength. Unfortunately, lacking a leg, Lego will not be able to survive in the wild and thus cannot be released so he will be joining Charlie, our other resident Western leopard toad in his display near the Penguin Exhibit.

Carry on enjoying life LEGO! We look forward to more news about you …

Come and Join the team

  1. Len Davies09-19-18

    So good to read of the great outcome.
    Just goes to show, where there’s life, there’s hope!

    Well done to all involved!

    • Sidney Jacobs09-19-18

      And so many others were also saved due to the efforts by the volunteers that were on duty late at nights … so exciting .. thanks all!

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