Molly the tortoise pulled off quite the magic act a few weeks ago, vanishing from her home and then reappearing 20 kilometres away at Manitoba’s Oak Hammock Marsh — an act that has baffled staff at the nature reserve. Gillian Malchuk, a nature interpreter at Oak Hammock Marsh, said they started to receive some reports from visitors that a tortoise was spotted in the area. Staff were unsure if that was actually the case because tortoises are not native to Canada and the marsh isn’t a very ideal location for them to call home. “We thought maybe people were mistaking a snapping turtle because we do get those. So snapping turtles, painted turtles, any number of things that we were maybe thinking it could be. Maybe just a big rock in some circumstances,” said Malchuk. But then one visitor actually took a picture of the tortoise, causing staff to ask themselves how something like this was possible. “We all knew that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be and it was probably not the easiest time for her out there,” said Malchuk. “So I think the initial reaction was surprise and maybe a little disbelief, but then a big effort to go out and find her.” After two days of searching, Molly the African spurred tortoise appeared in the parking lot — a huge relief for everyone at the marsh. African spurred tortoises don’t normally call Manitoba or Canada home; their original habitat is in the Sahara Desert. Molly was brought back to the centre and fed, as Malchuk said she was very hungry. Then staff needed to figure out where she came from. Malchuk brought Molly to her house until she was able to find her owner. “Luckily, there isn’t a ton of missing tortoise posts across Manitoba,” she said. Staff were eventually able to get ahold of Molly’s owner and Malchuk said she showed up right away to take her home. Even though this disappearing act ended on a positive note, there is still one burning question — how did Molly end up so far away from home? Malchuk said many at the centre believe she trekked the whole way. “I wouldn’t put it past her,” she said. “I did get to spend some time with Molly and she’s a pretty strong spirit and quite the Houdini in my yard.” However, Malchuk believes she arrived a different way. “I think probably some Good Samaritan thought she belonged in the wetland, saw her on a highway somewhere, picked her up and brought her over here, thinking (they) were doing good, just without realizing this wasn’t really her habitat,” she added.
