Terri The Tortoise Makes A Turnaround

Washington, USA: A tortoise believed to be run over by a vehicle could live another 90 years thanks to the care of Washington State University veterinarians.

The unnamed African spur-thighed tortoise, now known as Terri, was found on the side of a road in Benton City, Washington in March, 2020.

Her shell was smashed, there was a section of exposed spinal cord, and she was in shock when she was found. Miraculously, she was still able to move all four limbs. “Honestly, I didn’t think she was going to make it, but I wanted to take her to the place where she would get the best care,” Kyley Ackerson said.

Ackerson and her fiancé then drove 246km from Benton City to Washington State Univerity’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. There, WSU’s exotics team, with veterinarian Marcie Logsdon on the case, spent nearly three months tending to Terri.

After a few weeks at the hospital, Terri started to grow new bone over the crack in her shell. There were other health issues, but they were all eventually resolved by experts on hand. 

Ackerson garnered much support through a fundraiser on Facebook to pay the hospital bill as the remarkable 10-year-old Terri bounced back to health.  Tortoises like Terri grow to an average of 45kgs but can grow as large as 80kgs.

“Reptiles don’t show emotion, but I like to think she’s happy,” Ackerson said.

^{Source: Washington State University}