Wednesday, 11 March 2026

Large tortoise escapes high school, travels a surprising distance

Weirdness Level7/10

🌀 Very Strange

Large tortoise escapes high school, travels a surprising distance

“In a move that surprised absolutely no one who's ever met a determined tortoise, a large reptile escaped its enclosure at a Georgia high school on Sunday and made it a genuinely impressive distance before anyone could stop him. The Hinesville Police Department described the fugitive as "very large, very determined, and ridiculously heavy" — a sentence that tells you everything. It took D-Watch officers considerable teamwork and muscle to haul the prehistoric escape artist back to his enclosure, after which they immediately double-checked the latch.”

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Why It's Weird

Some stories exist in a category all their own, defying easy explanation or categorization. While the weirdness score is more modest, the story still offers a fascinating glimpse into life's unexpected moments.

March 9 (UPI) -- Police in Georgia used "a lot of muscle" to wrangle a large and "ridiculously heavy" tortoise that absconded from a local high school.

The Hinesville Police Department said on social media that the tortoise escaped from its enclosure at the Bradwell Institute and went for a walk on Sunday.

"The adventurous reptile made it a surprising distance before area residents witnessed the great escape and called 911," the post said. "With a little teamwork (and a lot of muscle), D-Watch officers managed to load up the very large, very determined and ridiculously heavy 'dinosaur' and return him safely to his enclosure."

Police ensured the tortoise's gate was properly latched to ensure the animal wouldn't be going for a second weekend stroll.

"Next time we'll make sure to stretch before lifting," police joked.

How does this make you feel?

Read original on UPI
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