Tiny, Tasty Treats Lure Giant Tortoise Out Of Tight Temecula Spot: Watch

TEMECULA, CA -- A wayward tortoise was recently rescued in the Temecula area by Riverside County Animal Services, and officials say it was a tasty treat that one officer happened to have on hand which helped make the whole thing possible. Cherries.

According to Department Spokesman John Welsh, it happened on July 12 at a rural-style property just east of Temecula's famous wine country.

"A property owner at a rural-style property, just east of Temecula’s wine country, initially was concerned about a reptile on his property," Wesh said. "When the property owner tried to locate where the snake went, he discovered a tortoise underneath a van."

And this wasn't just a small, pint-sized tortoise. This tortoise weighed the size of a person, at 140 pounds.

After Animal Services got the call around 3:30 p.m. that afternoon, two officers headed over to the area of Balsamina Court, just south of Rancho California Road.

"Officer Harvey Beck, heard the call over his radio and asked if [Officer Kyle] Stephens would like assistance," Welsh explained. "Officer Stephens said yes, assuming that a tortoise call might require some backup if the critter was a hefty one."

And when they discovered that it was indeed a "hefty one," the animal control officers had to get creative with ways to coax the critter out of its hiding spot.

"It was actually Officer Beck’s tasty cherries – a common snack he keeps handy in his truck – that eventually lured the tortoise out far enough so the two men could lift the tortoise," Welsh said.

Slow and steady, the officers fed the sulcata tortoise cherries one-by-one until it was out far enough from the van that they could grab it. It was taken to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus where it remained as of Friday.

Officials are hopeful the animal's rightful owner will come forward to claim the tortoise, otherwise it will be available for adoption as of Tuesday, July 25. If you're interested in adopting it, though, think long-term commitment. These tortoises can live more than 70 years, according to Reptiles Magazine.

Check out the video of the tortoise being coaxed out below, courtesy of Riverside County Animal Services:

-- Image via Riverside County Animal Services