A large desert tortoise, named Stitch, recently made a daring escape from an ostrich ranch in Picacho, Arizona. The reptile managed to journey three miles before attempting to cross Interstate 10, which caught the attention of a concerned citizen and subsequently the Arizona State Department of Public Safety.
When DPS Sgt. Steven Sekrecki arrived at the scene, he found the tortoise unharmed and noticed the word “Stitch” written on its shell. He assumed it belonged to a nearby facility. A local ostrich ranch confirmed that Stitch was one of their resident tortoises who had escaped from his habitat, according to the Arizona Republic.
The sulcata tortoise, also known as the African spurred tortoise, is an endangered species native to the Sahara Desert. Between 1990 and 2010, approximately 9,000 tortoises were taken from the wild for illegal pet trade. This species makes for good pets due to their docility and non-territorial nature. They are also the third-largest species of tortoise in the world, behind the Aldabara giant tortoise and those of the Galapagos source.
Stitch’s escape and subsequent rescue by Sergeant Sekrecki has highlighted the importance of global wildlife conservation. In 2023, there was a significant conservation effort with the reintroduction of 500 Giant Tortoises to Four Galapagos Islands source.
Other similar conservation efforts include the saving of the threatened bum-breathing punk turtle—a 9lb wonder found only in the Mary Riversource.
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