Frank the Tank, tortoise found wandering in BC bok choy field, gets new home

VANCOUVER – Adoption requests came from as far away as New Zealand, but Frank the Tank, a 17-kilogram tortoise found wandering in a Richmond bok choy field last month, will be staying in British Columbia.

Kahlee Demers, manager at the Maple Ridge Community Animal Centre, says the shelter received an "enormous amount" of emails from people seeking to adopt Frank.

She says the sulcata tortoise was taken by ferry to his new home on Monday although his new family didn't want to be identified for privacy reasons.

Despite being surrounded by leafy greens, Frank was in poor shape when he was found in early October, suffering shell rot and respiratory problems due to being out in the cold.

Demers says veterinarian Adrian Walton of Dewdney Animal Hospital worked to get Frank back in shape, with the tortoise gaining some weight and showing off his “great personality.”

Walton said last month that sulcata tortoises are endangered in their native Africa, but can be bought as pets in Canada, living 100 years or more and weighing up to 90 kilograms.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2023.