To their surprise, members of a North Hollywood family found three baby tortoise hatchlings in their backyard about three months ago. Now two of the tortoises live in our neighborhood, with 10 other species of tortoises at TortoiseLand, the non-profit sanctuary run by Windsor Village resident Kevin Proulx, the Tortoise Guy. (The family gave the third animal to a trusted friend.)
Despite having a male and female pair of desert tortoises for the past seven years, the North Hollywood family had no idea the female was pregnant, nor did they see any kind of a nest, so they were quite surprised to find the hatchlings in the yard.
“Hank and his mom Angel did an amazing job taking care of these baby tortoises,” Proulx told the Buzz. “Even though they said they didn’t know what to do, they did a great job by feeding them only kale and putting them under a heat lamp so they would stay warm.”
“It’s really a miracle these little guys survived, because they were born in the wrong time of the year,” said Proulx. “Had they been in the wild, they could have starved, but thanks to Angel and Hank feeding them they have survived.”
Normally tortoises will dig a den and hibernate for the winter for their own survival because food is scarce in the winter. Proulx was happy that mutual friends connected him to Hank and Angel, and thrilled to take over care of the tortoises. Desert tortoises are one of his favorite species because they are smart and very responsive, explained Proulx.
“I am honored they called me and they trusted me to care for Shelby and Sheldon,” said Proulx.
Like most reptiles, when tortoises hatch they are often left on their own to survive. Already having two tortoises, the family was happy to find a good home for two remaining hatchlings.
“Having these two little babies come to TortoiseLand after the devastating loss of Max earlier this year, is like a Christmas miracle for me,” said Proulx. “Their arrival has really reinvigorated me and shows this is a thriving place full of life,” he added.
Proulx shared this video of the baby tortoises getting acclimated to TortoiseLand.
“I am deeply grateful all the support I received through through GoFundme to cover our medical expenses for Max and I welcome anyone who want to visit to learn more about these amazing animals to reach out to me on social media or by email,” Proulx told the Buzz. “These animals have been on this planet for the past 220 million years, but they are now a threatened species. I’d love for more people to learn to appreciate them so we can save their habitats and make sure they continue to survive.”
