200-Pound Tortoise Found Near Hemet Reunited With His Human Family

HEMET (CBSLA.com) — Riverside County Animal Control says the 200-pound tortoise found near Hemet Wednesday has been reunited with his human family.

The tortoise was picked up by a Riverside County Department of Animal Services officer Wednesday night from a Sage Road location, southeast of Hemet, spokesman John Welsh said.

The tortoise, named Tortoise, is now home with Vince Tarantino and his family.

Tarantino, confirmed to Animal Services that he not only owned one, but two, tortoises. He was on a road trip and was unaware that Tortoise had burrowed his way out of the backyard with the help of recent torrential rains that hit southeast Riverside County.

Tortoise -- a male who is believed to be over 100-years-old -- lives with a female tortoise (age and name not revealed) in Aguana with the Taratinos.