Mystery Case of the Wandering Terrapin Solved

A 200-pound tortoise that was found wandering the roads of Aguanga earlier this week was reunited with his owner Saturday, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

The appropriately named “Tortoise” was released to Vince Tarantino, of Aguanga, who also owns another tortoise, John Welsh of the Riverside County Department of Animal Services said.

The Department of Animal Services kept Tortoise at their San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus since Wednesday, after he was found by Tarantino’s neighbor, Brian Pruitt. Pruitt found the tortoise at about 5 p.m. Wednesday night walking along Sage Road in Aguanga, southeast of Hemet.

Tarantino was out of town, but drove back home to check on his pets, before heading to claim Tortoise on Saturday.

Welsh said that torrential rainstorms that hit the Inland Empire on Wednesday washed out a portion of the reptile’s sanctuary, allowing for a space just large enough for him to escape.

However, Tortoise appeared to be satisfied with remaining home on Saturday.

“He went straight for his hole,” Tarantino said. “He’s got a burrow that is about eight to ten feet deep. I think he was tired. He went for his hole and he nestled down there.”

• --City News Service, photo courtesy of the Riverside Animal Services Department. Brian Pruitt, who found the tortoise, stopped by the shelter to visit his new friend.