00:00Today we're going to meet the oldest and most distinguished member here at the
00:04Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek Michigan and I am very excited. Now I
00:08don't want to ruin the surprise so let's give you a couple of hints and we'll see
00:11if we can figure out who it is. He's in his 80s, he's over 575 pounds and he
00:18loves neck scratches. Any ideas who it might be? Allow me to introduce Al. Al is
00:26an Aldabra tortoise and although being in his 80s it may sound like he's getting
00:30into his golden years, he still has quite a bit of life left in him. Tortoises are
00:37some of the longest-lived animals in the entire animal kingdom with some
00:41individuals living well over 100 years. Al arrived at the Binder Park Zoo in 1984
00:47which means he has lived at this facility longer than any other animal in their
00:52care. But a few months ago, Al's keepers noticed a difference in his behavior. He
00:57was becoming less active, keeping to himself, and becoming disinterested in
01:01food. They knew something was up. But just by looking at the outside of his foot it
01:07was difficult for the doctor to know what was going on on the inside. For that they
01:12would need a CT scan. Using special x-ray equipment doctors can produce a picture
01:17of what it looks like underneath that thick skin. This would give them a good look at
01:21everything from bones to organs, tissues, and even his blood vessels.
01:27At over 575 pounds, it can be an all-day affair just to get from one side of his
01:32exhibit to the other. So imagine how difficult a trip to the doctor can be. And at his
01:37size, he needs special equipment that most suits just don't have.
01:42Since there were no CT scanners in the local area that could accommodate Al's large size
01:47and weight, he and the veterinarian staff would have to travel to get to one. But it
01:52is no small feat moving this giant tortoise. It took a specially made crate and a
01:57forklift, in combination with 200 miles of driving, for him to reach his final
02:02destination. The Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, where they have a CT scanner large
02:08enough to fit his enormous shell. Since you can't explain to a tortoise that they
02:13need to stay still during a CT, doctors anesthetized Al for the procedure. It took a large team effort
02:20to get him into place, and soon he was ready for his close-up, just barely squeezing through.
02:26It was quite the journey to get there, but it was all worth it, as this scan was helpful
02:31to know exactly what was going on in Al's foot. Now with this new information, his doctor could move
02:36forward with his treatment. Now safely back at his home in Michigan, the zoo staff will have to
02:41continue his treatments for some time. Al requires the use of a feeding tube, because he didn't like
02:47the taste of his medication, no matter what treats keepers tried to hide it in.
02:53Al also needs the bandage on his foot changed frequently as it heals, which is done by his veterinarian,
02:59along with a team of people. Thanks to the dedication of the staff at both the Binder Park Zoo and
03:04the
03:04Brookfield Zoo, Al is on the mend. Now he has many more months of healing, but we're hoping that he
03:10will be enjoying neck scratches from his adoring fans for many years to come.
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