Slowly But Surely, Tortoises Freed From SeaQuest’s Concrete Cage for a Sunny Sanctuary
For Immediate Release:
April 16, 2025
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
PETA is sharing heartwarming photos and video of the three sulcata tortoises who were rescued from SeaQuest Roseville when it closed suddenly in February. PETA covered the cost of the animals’ journey to their vastly improved, new digs at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, a lush 212-acre sanctuary in Kendalia, Texas, that is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Now, they (slowly) roam a spacious habitat and enjoy fresh air, grass, and sunshine—a far cry from the tiny, barren concrete cell where they were confined at SeaQuest. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wildlife Confiscations Network oversaw the placement of the rescued animals, and thanks to it, these shy reptiles will receive expert care and an appropriate diet of fresh food for the rest of their lives—which could be well over 50 years, with some tortoises having lived to be 200 years old!
“Crowded, noisy, neon-lit shopping malls are no place for a tortoise—or any other animal,” says PETA Associate Director of Captive Wildlife Rebecca Smudzinski. “PETA reminds everyone to stay far away from these dangerous, exploitative operations, where animals are denied everything natural to them.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
