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Born to be free

TRAVELLING TORTOISE: On a crawl.

A pet tortoise's slow bid for freedom has come to an end in Wales, just 2.9 km from home after eight months on the crawl. Horace was found in the middle of a Cardiff road after averaging just 12 m a day since going missing. "His owners are delighted they will be reunited," animal worker Nick Calis said. The owner received Horace as a Christmas present about seven years ago. He had been put into the garden — and five minutes later had vanished. While on his travels, the plucky youngster avoided all the possible perils, including being eaten by other animals or being crushed by a car. In September 2004, another lost tortoise completed a 4.8 km journey in northeast England in a much faster time of three months. Herman tortoises can live as long as 100 to 150 years.

COMPILED BY ROHINI RAMAKRISHNAN

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