Tortoises taken from Indianapolis Zoo found safe in Madison County park

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 9:57 PM

By Staff report

The Egyptian and Northern Spider tortoises taken from the Indianapolis Zoo earlier this month, were found safe and uninjured this afternoon in Falls Park, which is located in the Madison County city of Pendleton.
According to the Pendleton Police Department, about 4:00 p.m., they received a call from park visitors who, while walking on a sidewalk behind the park’s museum, near the falls, came across an unattended cardboard box.
The box was said to have had a paper plate on top with a note referencing the Indianapolis Zoo. Inside, the visitors found the two tortoises and immediately called police, who arrived within minutes and took custody of them.
The tortoises were later positively identified as the two reported stolen after having their microchips scanned by zoo personnel.

Currently, this incident remains under investigation and there is no additional information to release publicly.
Assisting the Capitol Police in the recovery and subsequent on-going investigation are the Pendleton Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General and the Indianapolis Zoo.