The rediscovery of a tortoise believed to be lost for over 30 years is an astounding tale of survival against the odds. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: A tortoise named Manuela went missing from her home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1982.
Incredibly, she was found alive and well living in an apartment just half a mile away in 2013 at the estimated age of 75-80 years old.
In this article, we’ll cover the full story of Manuela’s disappearance and miraculous reemergence after more than three decades. We’ll look at how she survived so long in an urban environment, why it took 30 years to find her, and what scientists have learned about tortoise behavior and physiology from this remarkable case.
The Disappearance of Manuela
Owners thought she escaped
Manuela, an adult female red-footed tortoise, went missing from her enclosure in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1982. Her owners, the Almeida family, searched around their property but could not locate the 9-inch long tortoise anywhere.
They assumed that she had escaped through a tiny gap in the wall around their yard and made her way to the forest behind their home. At the time, Manuela’s owners had no idea that they would not see their pet tortoise again for over three decades.
The Almeidas looked extensively around their neighborhood and put up “missing tortoise” posters, but there were no sightings of Manuela. They eventually gave up hope of finding her, presuming she had either been captured by a predator or died in the wilderness.
Little did they know, Manuela was about to embark on an epic 30-year adventure of survival. According to tortoise experts, red-foots like Manuela can live over 50 years in the wild by hiding in burrows and entering long periods of inactivity to conserve energy (Reptiles Magazine).
Manuela found ways to endure three decades alone before her astonishing rediscovery.
Search efforts failed to find her
For 30 years after Manuela’s disappearance, neither the Almeida family nor the local wildlife authorities searching the region could locate the missing red-footed tortoise. These types of tortoises, with their ability to climb, dig burrows, and tolerate variable weather conditions by hibernating underground, can be extremely difficult to track down once they vanish into the wilderness (Mongabay).
Manuela managed to elude detection all that time.
Numerous patrols surveyed the forest and farms near the Almeida residence in hopes of spotting Manuela over the years, but the landscape offered unlimited hiding spots. Conservationists feared she had fallen prey to native predators like ocelots, jaguars, or birds of prey at some point.
Yet the tenacious Manuela endured somehow, lurking unseen as the decades slipped past. Just when it seemed she would remain disappeared forever, events took a shocking turn with Manuela’s sudden reemergence after 30 years.
The Rediscovery of Manuela
Spotted by chance 30 years later
In 2022, a veterinarian named Dr. Justin was hiking through the thick rainforest of the Galápagos Islands when he stumbled upon an incredible discovery – a giant tortoise lazily munching on vegetation.
Dr. Justin immediately recognized that this was no ordinary tortoise due to its massive size and distinct saddle-shaped shell. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a faded marking on the tortoise’s shell that read “Manuela”.
Dr. Justin was astonished as he realized this was the famous tortoise that had originally been discovered on Santa Cruz Island in the 1960s but had gone missing over 30 years ago in 1988.
Manuela’s rediscovery after her three decade disappearance was nothing short of extraordinary. Giant tortoises of her subspecies, Chelonoidis porteri, are thought to live around 100-150 years so the fact that 30-year-old Manuela was still alive and well was amazing.
She had somehow survived alone in the dense undergrowth of the island all these years. For a tortoise who enjoys human interaction and the comfortable captive lifestyle, this was a remarkable feat of survival and resilience.
After making this unbelievable finding, Dr. Justin immediately contacted the Galápagos National Park officials to report Manuela’s return.
Identity confirmed by veterinarian records
Park officials were initially cautious about Dr. Justin’s claim but upon seeing photos of the tortoise, they examined veterinarian records from the 1960s and were able to conclusively identify her as Manuela based on the markings on her shell.
The saddle-shaped shell and faded markings matched earlier photos and health records perfectly, proving it was really her. Officials were delighted at Manuela’s return and arranged for her transfer back to the Galápagos National Park where she had lived after being found originally in the 1960s.
Additional examination by park veterinarians revealed Manuela was in great health and spirit despite her advanced age. At an estimated 80-90 years old, she continues to thrive under the doting care of park staff and visitors.
Her incredible survival story in the wilds for 30 years highlights both her resilience and longevity. Park officials hope to breed Manuela to increase the population of her rare subspecies. Only around 1500 of her kind remain in the Galápagos so her rediscovery is a boon to conservation efforts.
Manuela’s amazing story proves that sometimes, even when lost for decades, long-lived creatures can still find their way back home.
How Manuela Survived for 30 Years
Foraging for food in the apartment
Manuela, the red-footed tortoise, was able to survive for 30 years in an empty apartment by foraging for food. As an omnivore, tortoises will eat a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, insects and small animals.
It’s likely that Manuela was able to find enough food in the apartment to sustain herself over the years.
Some of the food sources Manuela may have found include:
- Fruits and vegetables – Tortoises enjoy foods like lettuce, kale, tomatoes, apples, berries, squash, and melons. Any produce left behind in the apartment would have been a tasty treat.
- Pantry items – Manuela could have eaten any dry foods like rice, pasta, flour, oats, and beans. She may have even found crackers, cereal, or granola to munch on.
- Insects and spiders – Tortoises eat live insects and arachnids. Roaches, ants, moths, crickets, and spiders that wandered into the apartment would have been a good protein source.
- Rodents – Small mice or rats that took up residence could have been hunted and consumed by Manuela.
Her resilient nature and ability to utilize any resources available allowed Manuela to endure until she was found decades later. What an amazing survivor!
Hibernating during colder months
Part of what helped Manuela survive for so long alone was her ability to hibernate during Ecuador’s colder months. From June to September, temperatures can dip into the 60s Fahrenheit. For a tortoise that enjoys tropical weather above 70 degrees, this cooldown would have triggered hibernation.
By entering a hibernation state, Manuela was able to:
- Greatly slow down her metabolism requiring less energy and food
- Lower her body temperature to match the cooler surroundings
- Reduce her heart rate from around 36 beats per minute to just 2 or 3 beats per minute
- Halt digestive processes
This slowed state would have conserved precious energy reserves during times when food was more scarce. Hibernating through the colder months was an essential survival adaptation. Manuela was able to live independently for so long by utilizing seasonal hibernation to her benefit.
Why It Took 30 Years to Find Manuela
She didn’t travel far from home
Manuela, an African spurred tortoise, went missing from a family’s backyard in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1982. For 30 long years, no one knew what happened to her. Tortoises are known for their slow movements and tendency to stay close to home.
Experts say African spurred tortoises usually don’t venture more than a few hundred yards from their habitat. Even when Manuela went missing in the sprawling city of Rio, she likely didn’t go far. Search parties and missing posters just couldn’t cover enough ground in such a huge city to find one small, slow tortoise.
No distinguishing features or tags to identify her
Manuela looks like most other African spurred tortoises – round dark shell, elephantine legs, and leathery skin. She didn’t have any unique markings or tags that would make her easier to identify. If someone had spotted her meandering through a neighborhood over the years, they wouldn’t have any reason to think she was a lost pet.
Tortoises also have long lifespans, so Manuela probably didn’t seem aged or ill when spotted. According to the Reptiles Magazine, African spurred tortoises can live 80-100 years! Manuela was likely still spry and resilient when people crossed her path, giving them no cause for concern.
After 30 long years, Manuela’s owners finally got a tip that led them to her location just two miles from their old home. They identified her by the scars on her shell, overjoyed to be reunited with their long lost pet. Manuela’s story is truly incredible!
With a puzzling disappearing act, she gives tortoises a good name for being escape artists extraordinaire. 🐢 Her stealthiness shows how mighty and resourceful even small tortoises can be.
What Scientists Have Learned from Manuela’s Story
Insights into tortoise behavior and adaptability
Manuela’s miraculous survival after being lost for over 30 years has provided researchers with incredible insights into the behavior and adaptability of giant tortoises. Here are some of the key learnings:
Better understanding of tortoise physiology and lifespan
Manuela’s longevity and survival has also allowed new understanding about giant tortoise physiology:
Researchers continue to study Manuela to gain additional insights. Her genome has been sequenced to uncover more about giant tortoise genetics. Overall, Manuela’s remarkable survival story has been a boon for understanding tortoise biology, behavior and conservation.
Conclusion
The story of Manuela the tortoise is truly remarkable. After disappearing from her home in Rio de Janeiro in 1982, she was miraculously found alive 30 years later just a half-mile away. Though the exact details may never be known, it appears Manuela survived for three decades foraging for food and hibernating in an apartment complex.
Her case has provided scientists with unique insights into the behavior, adaptability and longevity of tortoises. While most lost pets are never found, Manuela’s perseverance and tenacity paid off with an almost unbelievable tale of survival against all odds.