African tortoise walks down Pennsylvania road, prompts 911 calls

Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Pennsylvania said an escaped African tortoise went for a walk down the middle of a road, prompting 911 calls from concerned residents who feared the animal could be a snapping turtle.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said 911 calls came in on Sunday reporting a large turtle walking down the middle of a street in Washington County.

"The original caller said it was a huge snapper and didn't know what to do with it, so he called 911," Waterways Conservation Officer Jon Stark wrote in a post on the commission's Facebook page.

Stark said he rushed to the scene to confirm the creature's species.

"If it was as big as they said it was, that's a giant snapping turtle," he wrote.

Stark said he arrived to find the 100-pound creature was not dangerous at all -- it was an African tortoise.

"This big old turtle just wanted to go for a walk and be free. Still not sure where he got loose from, but now he has a new home and a large area to roam," Stark wrote.