PICACHO, Arizona — How long does it take for a large desert tortoise to get to the other side of a highway in southern Arizona?
It’s still a mystery after a Department of Public Safety officer recently helped rescue an escaped sulcata tortoise that was trying to cross Interstate 10 near Picacho.
On July 30, a motorist contacted authorities to report a turtle attempting to cross the busy highway between Casa Grande and Tucson in Pinal County.
The motorist and DPS Sgt. Steven Sekrecki were able to get the turtle off the road unharmed.
Officers saw the name “Stitch” written on the turtle’s shell and contacted an ostrich farm 3 miles away.
According to the Arizona Republic, the ranch confirmed that Stitch was one of their resident tortoises and that he had recently escaped from his habitat.
According to the newspaper, Stitch was safely returned to the ranch.