Phoenix Herpetological Society

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OPEN NOW - Closes at 5:00pm

Kaz, a male Russian Tortoise raced into my sis-in-law's carport in March 2018. We did not know Kaz was a Russian or Desert Tortoise but the Arizona Game and Fish tortoise web page helped us determine he is an endangered mideast species, not an endangered Southwest species. By State law, all Desert Tortoise adoptions/handovers are managed by AZ G&F.

Three days of Nextdoor app and door to door searches in our neighborhood found no owners. A further web search led us to the AZ Herp Society in North Scottsdale.

Alex the in-house reptile expert said, "Bring him up and we'll put him in our lost and found collection.

Thirty miles later, immediately south of Dynamite Boulevard and north of Pinnacle Peak we rolled into the ample parking lot of this place of reptile rescue, study and rehab.

Entering the gate, to the right we saw pens with LARGE tortoises, many 2 feet across, weighing near 200 pounds that probably outlived two or three owners. They tractored around, several digging holes that could swallow a riding mower.

Straight ahead, interns completed water turtle enclosure cleanout. Left of that was an 8 × 20 foot enclosure devoted to Russian Tortoises. Alex met us, led us to the gift shop, and had us fill Lost and Found tortoise papers. Alex gave Kaz a quick lookover, said his shell was slightly damaged, likely by a dog bite, but still very healthy. He marked Kaz' shell with a red paint marker with "L" and the date.

Kaz got turned in with the Russian Tortoise crowd. I have never seen a tortoise or turtle move faster. A hare would have lost Kaz' race around the pen, investigating the 30 or so members of his new community. Kaz was bit by the Alpha Biter, sniffed heads and tails of many others, greeting every tortoise in that pen in silent tortoise language.

We walked around the compound awhile, tallying the slider turtles, gasping at alligator lengths, an amazing at the tiny pet store snakes who turned into 10 foot, 200 pound behemoths.

This is a slight account of a very interesting place with an excellent mission. It costs $40 to get into the newest Phoenix area aquarium, somewhat less at a Wildlife Park or zoo. If you arrange ahead you get a guided tour of the crocodilians and access to this amazing collection for $5 per person. The gift shop/donation center is always free. Say hello to Kaz. If you want to rescue a reptile, the AZ Herp Society can help with that. Why go to a pet store when you can adopt an orphan pet.