Meet Frank the Tank, a giant Sulcata tortoise. He was found wandering at a glacial pace through a spinach patch in Richmond, British Columbia by local resident Shelley Smith. Shelley noticed something moving in the distance and, to her surprise, it was a larger-than-life visitor, who, as it turns out, is just a baby.
“I found this guy last Wednesday just casually walking by my fence, so I called the Maple Ridge SPCA. His back feet are HUGE,” Shelley commented on a Facebook post.
The tortoise currently weighs around 35 pounds (16 kilograms). Shelley described him as the size of a turkey platter, one that can be used to serve 24 people a Thanksgiving turkey. And he is only going to get bigger.
Frank was checked over by vets at Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. They estimated him to be at a juvenile age, somewhere between eight and 15 years old. This species of tortoise can live up to 150 years old and grow to the size of a wheelbarrow. Frank loves to eat grasses, shrubs, and plants.
Native to the dry deserts of sub-Saharan Africa, these tortoises are endangered but are often smuggled into North America, where they can reproduce in captivity and be sold at low prices. Tortoises of this size are not thought to make great pets by reptile experts and can often end up escaping or being abandoned.
The species can be overwhelming for families to care for as they outgrow their spaces. Plus, since they typically live longer than humans, looking after a giant tortoise is a life-long commitment.
This particular tortoise is currently living with a foster family, who nicknamed him “Frank the Tank,” and he is still looking for his forever home.
