Runaway tortoise found 5 miles from home, 3 1/2 years later

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Sheriff's deputies in Florida captured a loose African sulcata tortoise and the reptile was later found to have escaped its home 3 1/2 years earlier.

Florida's Wildest Animal Rescue, a nonprofit exotic animal refuge in Putnam County, said local sheriff's deputies brought in a sulcata tortoise they found wandering in Interlachen.

"He is definitely someone's tortoise as he likes people and head pats," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.

The refuge also posted about the tortoise on social media and soon received a flood of tips from members of the public about a sulcata tortoise that had been reported missing in the same area in April 2020.

"She was missing for 3 1/2 years and found 5 miles away from where she originally escaped," the refuge said.

The tortoise was returned to her surprised and grateful owners.

"She is in a little bit of rough shape from spending so many cold winters here without heat, but she will be OK, and we recommended a trip to the vet," the refuge said.