Posted on 04/03/2010 3:15:33 PM PDT by West Texas Chuck
I'm out mountain biking at the local nature preserve here in Garland, TX, and I find this monster lumbering down the trail, munching on grass and weeds. Gotta be either an escapee or another abandoned animal at Rowlett Creek Preserve. I sent his pix to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and they identified him as Geochelone sulcata, native to Africa. He's about twice the size of my bike helmet, prolly 30 lbs. or so I'd guess. TPWD said he'd never survive here with north Texas winters but he has been spotted in the same general vicinity since last year, so I guess he's OK. I don't have any place to keep him or I would go find him and bring him home. I have contacted local TV to see if they will run a story to try and find his owners, but so far nothing.
Yeah, I got two good links from this thread already. I sent them emails to see if anybody wants to step up. I knew you kids would come through with some good info.
Happy Easter there on your end.
Oh, I’d take him if I could, but my whole backyard is concrete, and the tortoise garden ain’t near big enough for this beast.
I forgot, here’s a couple of pretty good vids of Brutus, as I call him, shot by another guy on the trail that day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrzg1zRFP-Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTxOjM9nbd0
Glad there are lovely people like you in this world. My husband loves turtles also.
Yep, real men love them some animals!!!!!!!!!
I don’t care who you are, that right there’s funny!
Another African. People think tortoises are slow, but they can move pretty good, give them a few minutes and they will be way down the road.
Happy Easter. God bless you and your family.
World's oldest living animal discovered after he is pictured in 1900 photograph
As a photograph it looks fairly unremarkable - a tortoise nibbles at the grass in front of a Boer War prisoner and guard.
Jonathan, the tortoise, still alive today Photo: BNPS.CO.UK
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