ATHOL — A 40-pound African spurred tortoise named Tilly made its way more than a mile away from home Sunday evening before the Athol Police Department found him.
The 6-year-old tortoise was discovered on Partridgeville Road after escaping its enclosure pen nearby. Police Chief Russell Kleber said the department received a call about the tortoise from passing motorists. Police lured the animal closer with lettuce to catch it.
“The owner was very happy to get the turtle back, he was worried. It appears that he does take very good care of the tortoise,” said Kleber.
Following contact with the New England Aquarium, state Environmental Police and Athol Animal Control Officer Jennifer Arsenault, police safely returned the tortoise home. Kleber said the aquarium explained there was nothing to be alarmed about because the tortoise was legal to possess and was mostly likely someone’s pet.
“This time of year turtles do cross the road to get to the pond or whatever, and a lot of times people will stop and move the turtle to the other side of the street. Hopefully they move them to the right side of the street, not where they just left,” said Kleber. “Turtle calls come in on occasion but nothing like this. It was definitely an unusual call but I was glad to find out he was a pet.”
Charlie Innis, director of animal health at the New England Aquarium, said the African spurred tortoise is native to central Africa and is one of the largest species of tortoises in the world, growing anywhere between 100 to 200 pounds. Within the past 20 years, he said, the species has become a popular pet. But as they get larger it becomes more difficult to care for them.
“There are a lot of them that are unwanted in the United States right now and they end up in animal shelters and reptile rescue organizations,” said Innis. “The trouble in Massachusetts is people get them when they are small and sometimes they escape — as they get stronger and bigger they can get through fences.”
The African spurred tortoise’s life span is similar to that of humans, said Innis.