Tortoise Found Wandering Streets of Los Angeles

Residents in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles were surprised this week to find a tortoise roaming the streets. The tortoise, which has been named Turtle by locals, is thought to have escaped from a nearby home.

Turtle was found by Alejandro Escobar who was out for a walk when he saw the turtle crossing the street. "I couldn't believe it," Escobar said. "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Escobar and some friends managed to capture the tortoise and took it back to their home until they could find its owner. They put up flyers in the neighborhood and created a social media page called "Lost Tortoise of Boyle Heights".

The owner of Turtle, Manuela Vargas, was ecstatic to hear that her tortoise had been found. "Thank goodness," Vargas said. "I can't believe she made it all the way across town."

Turtle has been reunited with her family and is safe at home.

Tortoise Stolen From San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is pleading for the safe return of a beloved tortoise that was stolen from its grounds over the weekend.

The 120-pound male sulcata tortoise, named Goliath, was taken from his pen between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Zoo officials say he was last seen at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when staff members closed his exhibit for the night. When they returned Sunday morning, Goliath was gone.

"He's a big boy, and he needs a lot of room," said zoo spokeswoman Andi McNeal. "He would not do well in someone's backyard."

Zoo officials say Goliath is one of only four such giants in North America and is worth an estimated $2,000.

They're asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact authorities.

"We're just really sad and disheartened that someone would take him," McNeal said.

Rescued Tortoise Returns to the Wild

After being nursed back to health by a kind-hearted stranger, a tortoise is finally set free to return to the wild.

The tortoise was discovered hobbling along the side of the road, injured and unable to move. A Good Samaritan happened to spot the tortoise and took it to a nearby animal hospital for treatment.

X-rays showed that the tortoise had a broken shell and several other injuries. The kind stranger who found the tortoise stayed by its side throughout its recovery, feeding it fresh vegetables and caring for its wounds.

Now healthy again, the tortoise was fitted with a tracking tag and released back into its natural habitat. Animal welfare experts are keeping a close eye on the tortoise's progress, but they say it is likely to make a full recovery.

Oldest Living Animal on Record Dies at Age 255

In a world where animals are often bred and killed for their meat, fur, or other various products, it is rare to find an animal that lives a long and fulfilling life. The oldest living animal on record was a female green sea turtle named "Tuima" who died at the age of 255.

Tuima was first found in Moorea, French Polynesia in 1979 and was estimated to be only around 10 years old at the time. She was brought to a rehabilitation center after she was found ashore with several injuries, including a fractured shell and damaged flippers. After being nursed back to health, Tuima was released back into the ocean but continued to return to the rehabilitation center for checkups. In 2001, it was discovered that she had laid eggs on a beach in Moorea – the first time a green sea turtle of that age had been documented as breeding.

Over the next few years, Tuima continued to make occasional appearances at the rehabilitation center before finally passing away in 2016. Her death was confirmed by Paul Wang, senior vice president of global conservation at Oceanic Society, who said that Tuima "was not only the oldest living green sea turtle ever recorded but likely also one of the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth."

Sadly, animals like Tuima are very rare. Many animals – especially those raised for meat or other products – are killed long before they reach an advanced age. This is why it is so important to appreciate and protect animals like Tuima, who remind us that life is worth living no matter how long it lasts.

Tortoises Make a Comeback

In the face of global warming, the tortoise is making a comeback.

Climate change has had dire impacts on many species around the world, but few have responded as well to the changing conditions as the tortoise. Due to warming temperatures and an increase in available food, tortoise populations are booming in many parts of the world.

This is great news for the tortoise, which was once considered a threatened species. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists and growing awareness of the importance of protecting tortoises, their populations are slowly starting to recover.

Tortoises are important creatures that play a vital role in their ecosystems. They help keep grasslands healthy by eating vegetation and spreading seeds through their droppings. They also provide food for other animals and act as a natural form of pest control.

Due to their slow metabolism, tortoises can go for months without food or water, making them well-suited for life in harsh environments. They can also tolerate high levels of pollution and extreme temperatures. This makes them perfect candidates for reintroduction into areas where they have been wiped out or have become endangered.

There are many ways you can help tortoises recover and thrive. You can volunteer with local conservation groups or donate money to support their work. You can also spread awareness about the importance of tortoises and how we can all help protect them.

The Tortoise is Making a Comeback