Spike in Giant Sulcata Tortoise Thefts Worries Owners

Impressive Size Makes Tortoise Attractive to ThievesMalibu, CA – September 24, 2014 – American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), Malibu, CA, is seeing a nationwide spike in the theft of giant tortoises commonly called sulcatas.  Owners from California and Ohio to Chicago and South Carolina are heartbroken when their large pets are stolen right out of their yards. Geochelone sulcata is a hardy and personable species of tortoise.  Native to sub-Saharan Africa, it one of the most commonly purchased pet tortoises in North America.   Because sulcatas are the third largest species of tortoise in the