PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It’s not every day that you see a snapping turtle crossing the street. So when one Washington County resident saw a 100-pound one taking a stroll, they called 911.
According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the county, which is southwest of Pittsburgh, got the call about a “100LB turtle walking down the street in the middle of town.” The caller “didn’t know what to do with it,” so authorities intervened.
Waterways Conservation Officer Jon Stark went to see “what kind of turtle it really was because, if it was as big as they said it was, that’s a giant snapping turtle,” he wrote.
Stark said he was able to capture the massive turtle — which, he discovered, was actually an African tortoise.
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He said it was likely someone’s pet that got loose — especially considering that type of tortoise is not native to Pennsylvania.
“This big old turtle just wanted to go for a walk and be free,” Stark added.
Commission officials are not sure where the tortoise came from, but they say it is being cared for in a new home with plenty of space to traipse around.