Lost Instagram Famous Tortoise Found Safe

Ethel, the 2-year-old sulcata tortoise (and Instagram sensation) who went missing last month in Fairfield, CA, has been found safe. She had been missing for 27 days.

 

 

 

 

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And, just like that, our world feels whole again! After 27 days of missing her and fearing the worst our Ethel was returned to us yesterday! I had just about lost all hope when yesterday afternoon I got a call with someone saying they had Ethel! I still can’t really believe it! it’s all so surreal! What we know is that she got herself stuck in a fence somewhere in our area and a kind soul found her, freed her and did the right thing by contacting a local tortoise rescue that happened to know we were searching for her! Thank you all so much for bolstering our hope that she could be found. You all played such a key role in her coming home! . . . . #etheltheglamourtort #cutepetclub #thedodo #buzzfeedanimals #tortoise #sulcatatortoise #tortoisesofinstagram #petsofinstagram #petstagram

A post shared by EthelTheGlamourTort (@etheltheglamourtort) on Nov 13, 2018 at 12:34pm PST

The sulcata tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) was found a day after Kasey Kuchinski, Ethel’s keeper, essentially packed away her heat lamps and bed, with the thought of not ever seeing the reptile again. She had wandered into some fencing and got stuck. Someone found the tortoise, extricated her from the fencing and then brought the reptile to Shell of a Rescue, a tortoise rescue in Suisun Valley.

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“We’re over the moon,” Kuchinski told The Reporter. “It’s surreal in a way because it’s kind of like she’s back from the dead. We had pretty much fully grieved and were ready to move on. I’m still in disbelief that she’s back and she’s fine.” 

Kuchinski picked Ethel up, brought her home and gave her a warm soak. She said the tortoise appears to be doing well, and has a veterinarian ready to examine her in case any issues from her long days out in the wild have a negative effect on her. 

“My phone’s been blowing up,” she said. “Everyone’s just so excited.”