There may have been thousands of visitors to Piedmont for the annual Founders Day and Junklahoma event Saturday, Sept. 7, but one local resident did not show.
Ferb the tortoise is still missing. A reward for a safe return is offered.
Ferb found a way to escape a backyard home near the Piedmont High School tennis courts Wednesday morning on Aug. 21. Ferb is about the size of a basketball, owner Cherrie Zaidi does not know if the 25-pound African Sulcata tortoise is a male or female, but she does believe the 4-year-old pet could still be alive.
Unless Ferb, who lives on land, not underwater, got stuck at the bottom of a pond or sunk in one, or maybe fell into a hole in the ground, is possibly still living off the plentiful Oklahoma wildflowers in the fields, along a creek or in a wooded area. Three searches for Ferb have been completed, even a thermal imager has been used.
The search continues for Ferb, confirmed a police officer, who worked the traffic at the Founders Day parade along Piedmont Road when asked about any possible sightings.
Flyers circulated at the Piedmont Historical Society Saturday. There were a few speculations among those working inside that someone may have already found Ferb. But no one knows for sure. The species of tortoise can live up to 75 years, but Oklahoma winter could be a threat.
How Ferb escaped
Cherrie recalls Ferb was a bit feisty on a warm morning Aug. 21. She was working inside when Ferb apparently found a spot under her fence in the backyard and clawed a way out. There are a lot of flowers about to bloom and plenty of native grasses that Ferb can live on.
As for predators, coyotes are the main threat. Ferb is a bit heavy for a hawk to swoop up. And if there are plenty of rabbits and other prey around, Ferb would not be high on the list of things to eat for coyotes. But coyotes will find a way to eat turtles if they need to, Cherrie said.
There is a reward of $500 for Ferb’s safe return.
If anyone should spot a tortoise as big as a basketball, give Cherrie a call at 405-339-1433.
