Stitch, an endangered African giant sulcata tortoise tried unsuccessfully to ‘go on the lam’ in Arizona recently.

The 14-year-old escapee was caught about three km away from his home in a roadside animal park called Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch in Arizona.

Tortoises are not speedy. There is a 2014 record on the books at the Guiness Book of World Records for running or walking at a speed of 0.28 miles per second, or 0.92 ft per second, by Bertie the tortoise in Durham, UK .

Stitch managed to get about three miles in approximately three hours (or nearly 5 km) from home on Interstate 10 in Arizona, after escaping through a hole in a fence.

He was apprehended by Sgt. Steven Sekrecki of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Owner Danna Cogburn thinks that the escapee’s opportunity came after storms damaged the turtles’ enclosures and some gates.

Stitch, was reported by Arizona Pinal county motorists startled to see a non-resident tortoise crossing the highway, and then was captured by Sgt. Sekrecki, assisted by helpful bystanders.

Ms. Cogburn explained it was the right time of year for the mature male to be seeking a female friend, and there were none at the zoo.

Endangered species

African sulcata or African spurred tortoise are native to the semiarid grasslands, shrub lands, dunes, and savannas of Central Africa.

When full grown, males are about 80 to 100 kg (175 to 220 lbs). Spurred tortoises have few predators except for humans.

Unfortunately, they are a valued commodity in the pet trade as they are relatively passive.

Sulcatas are now found in less than 20 per cent of their former territories. Other than climate change, these tortoises face habitat loss as much of their grassland homes are now occupied by cattle ranches. The region has also been urbanized.

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Sources

Police Nab Fugitive Tortoise on Slow Run to Freedom. (2024, August 12). New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/12/us/giant-tortoise-escape-arizona.html

Speedy Desert Tortoise is Finally Safe After Covering 3 Miles and Entering a Highway Following Ranch Jailbreak. (2024, August 14). https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/speedy-desert-tortoise-is-finally-safe-after-covering-3-miles-and-entering-a-highway-following-ranch-jailbreak/

African Spurred Tortoise. (2024). Animalia. https://animalia.bio/african-spurred-tortoise

African spurred tortoise. (2024, August 5). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_spurred_tortoise

Fastest tortoise. (2024). Guinness World Records Limited. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/77951-fastest-tortoise