Two endangered tortoises were stolen from an Indiana zoo, according to police.
Two Endangered Tortoises Were Stolen From Indianapolis Zoo, Says Police
Two endangered tortoises have been stolen from Indianapolis Zoo, according to Indiana State Police.
ISP's Capitol Police Section is asking the public for help with locating an Egyptian tortoise and a Northern Spider tortoise, both of which were reportedly taken from the zoo between 10 a.m. on October 11 and 10 a.m. on October 12.
Anyone with tips about the stolen animals should call Capitol Police on 317-234-2131 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477).
The two tortoises are pictured above — with the Northern Spider tortoise on the left and the Egyptian tortoise on the right. The latter also has a distinctive scar on its underside and both tortoises are microchipped, according to police.
A Northern Spider tortoise was stolen from the Indianapolis Zoo, according to state police.
According to the Indianapolis Zoo's website, the Northern Spider tortoise (so named because of the spiderweb-looking pattern on its shell) is native to Madagascar, where it enjoys dry, sandy habitats. A tiny specimen, this type of tortoise only measures about five inches long and weighs just one pound — unfortunately making it easier to steal than its larger counterparts.
The Northern Spider tortoise is sadly considered critically endangered because of poaching and habitat loss.
An Egyptian tortoise was one of two endangered reptiles taken from the Indianapolis Zoo.
The second tortoise taken from the zoo was an Egyptian tortoise. This species, as you might have guessed, is native to Egypt, but also parts of Libya and Israel, where it enjoys dry habitats on the coast.
This is another teeny-tiny tortoise, meaning it wouldn't have been difficult to carry out of the zoo undetected. This one measures four inches long and weighs one pound.
Like the Northern Spider tortoise, the Egyptian tortoise is also considered critically endangered because of habitat loss and the pet trade (one of the reasons that animals are poached).
The Indiana State Police are seeking tips from the public to locate two endangered tortoises taken from the Indianapolis Zoo.
The Indianapolis Zoo is home to many different species of "regular-sized" tortoises ranging in weight from one pound to 40: the African Pancake tortoise, the Burmese Star tortoise, the Common Snake-Necked turtle, the Leopard tortoise and the Radiated Tortoise.
Out of these species, the Radiated tortoise, African Pancake tortoise and Burmese Star tortoise are all considered critically endangered. The Leopard Tortoise is considered of least concern.
The Indianapolis Zoo is very proud of its Aldabra giant tortoises.
There's another species of tortoise the Indianapolis Zoo is particular proud of: the Aldabra or giant tortoise.
These massive beasts, which hail from the Aldabra Atoll islands in the Seychelles, measure up to four feet long and weigh in at a whopping 200–550 pounds. Not exactly pocket-sized, but adorable nonetheless.