Giant tortoise dumped in canal in Koekelare

A walker had seen the animal lying in the canal and laid it on dry land in the hope of saving the turtle. It did not work. When the SOS Reptile team arrived, the animal had already died. “Most likely this animal was dumped, whether dead or alive. Was the energy bill too high? Was the animal too big? Or was the owner just tired of the animal? We will probably never know. An escape is of course also possible, but it It seems strong to us that such an animal got so far with the current temperatures, because the animal was quite far away from built-up areas,” says Mario Goes of SOS Reptiel in Ichtegem. The organization calls on people to always report problems with a pet. “With the necessary advice, we may still be able to give you the resources and knowledge to take your responsibility.”