An RM of Gimli resident who lives just north of Sandy Hook is hoping that whoever stole his two beloved box turtles from his residence last month will have a change of heart and return them to him.
Benjamin Wiesenthal posted a $6,000 “no questions asked” reward for their safe return. The turtles have a special diet and require special care.
He noticed his turtles missing one morning in mid-July when he went to feed them. He had noticed one turtle in its water bowl – turtles like to climb into their bowls to drink or to absorb moisture through their skin – the evening before they vanished.
The two female turtles – one an eastern box turtle and the other a three-toed box turtle – lives in large terrariums and liked to hide under boxes Wiesenthal would install in their enclosures.
He said he has had both turtles for decades and was naturally fond of them in the way someone would be of a pet dog or a cat or another animal.
“I’ve had my turtles for years and they’re like any other pet,” said Wiesenthal almost a month after his turtles were stolen. “I’m quite laidback as a person and easygoing, and I’m surprised that someone would do this to me.”
His $6,000 reward for the return of the two turtles far exceeds what they’re worth, he said, but he’s worried about their welfare.
He provides special supplements with their food and sometimes gives them superworms, a beetle larva that’s high in protein, fibre and fat.
“My main concern is the animals’ welfare and their safe return,” said Wiesenthal “I’m not interested in going after the person who took them; I just want to get my pets back.”
No current native populations of the eastern box turtle are known to exist in Canada because of loss of habitat. Remains of the turtles have been found at archeological sites in Ontario, according to a 2014 status report from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) that was commissioned by Environment Canada (now Environment and Climate Change Canada). Eastern box turtles, which can be found in the U.S., can live to as old as 100 years in the wild. Three-toed box turtles were considered a sub-species of the eastern box turtle, but have been re-classified as a different species.
Wiesenthal said box turtles are not common as a pet in Manitoba, but they’re not what would be considered “rare.”
“I acquired one my turtles in 1992 from Vancouver [33 years ago] and the other one I acquired from Petland in Winnipeg in 2000 [25 years ago],” he said.
No one apart from close friends – and an acquaintance visiting him at the time of their disappearance – knew he had the turtles.
“They were in terrariums in a room off the kitchen and they’d hide under the boxes I would make for them. Someone walking in wouldn’t notice them,” he said. “Also, no one knew I had them out here except very close friends in Winnipeg – and they certainly would not have done this.”
He did have an acquaintance staying at his place and later noticed his turtles missing after that person left, he said. He had gone out bicycling for about four hours on the day they must have been taken (July 19) and stopped in Winnipeg Beach to visit some friends.
“Nothing looked amiss when I came back. Whoever came in didn’t go around opening doors or rummaging through rooms; the place wasn’t torn apart,” he said. “But I noticed a day later that the turtles were gone. A bag with $5 or $6 in change I had in a top dresser drawer and some gift cards were also taken. My car was in the driveway when I was out cycling but it wasn’t rummaged through.”
He said he tracked down the acquaintance in Winnipeg and the person denied taking his turtles.
Wiesenthal posted about the theft on a local social media site, which resulted in hundreds of responses. He has a number of people on the case.
“There are other people actively looking into this, not just me,” said Wiesenthal.
Social media users offered advice on what sites to look at online to see if his turtles are being offered for sale and also commiserated with Wiesenthal.
“So sad this happened to your beautiful turtles,” wrote Dar Zayne. “Hopefully they will be returned knowing how much they mean to you.”
Laurie Toback wrote: “Heartless people in this world. Hope you get them back.”
Wiesenthal said he appreciates those keeping their eyes and ears out for his turtles. He’s worried that the thief or thieves won’t know how to properly feed/water his turtles or just dump the animals in the wild.
“These animals are not native to this environment and they wouldn’t survive outside – especially a Manitoba winter,” he said. “It would be cruel if someone just stuck them outside and left them there.”
Wiesenthal said he contacted the Gimli RCMP detachment the day he noticed them missing and reported the theft.
Spokesperson Cpl. Melanie Roussel confirmed the Gimli detachment received a report on July 20.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” she said when asked about the status of the case.
Anyone with information about the turtles can contact the Gimli RCMP or submit an anonymous tip via Crimestoppers.
“If the public has information about the location of the turtles, they are asked to call either the Gimli RCMP detachment at (204) 642-5104, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com,” said Roussel.
In addition to the police, Wiesenthal said people can also contact him at (204) 218-0913.
