It’s unlikely deputies in Putnam County, Florida, were expecting to encounter a 60-pound African tortoise native to the Saraha Desert when they were patrolling along a state road about 10 days ago.

But that’s exactly what they found as they were driving down SR 20 in Interlachen, Fla., about 30 miles east of Gainesville. The tortoise was identified by wildlife experts as an African Sulcata, native to the southern edge of the Sahara, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

At that point, no one had any idea what an African tortoise was doing on a Florida highway, but it was suspected the reptile could be a missing pet, given that it appeared to be comfortable around people and enjoyed being patted on the head.

But without any clue as to the tortoise’s owner, Putnam County turned it over to Florida’s Wildest Animal Refuge for care. If no owner were found, the refuge agreed to keep give the tortoise a home.

Through the use of social media, the sheriff’s office hoped to locate the owner, with a post about the tortoise shared hundreds of times. Ultimately, the animal refuge got a tip about a Sulcata tortoise which went missing more than three years ago, in April 2020, and looked very similar to the one deputies had found.

The animal refuge compared photos which were posted of the tortoise reported missing in 2020 to the one found days earlier and determined they were of the same tortoise. The owner was notified and a reunion took place.

The location where the tortoise was found was about five miles from where she went missing.

“What a happy ending!” Florida’s Wildest Animal Refuge posted to Facebook. “We are so happy we were able to assist in reuniting her with her family!”

The animal rescue noted the tortoise was in “a little bit of rough shape” after three and a half years on her own in cold winters to which she is not suited, but said the tortoise would be “okay” after a trip to the veterinarian.