Iowa museum finds missing tortoise alive in elevator

DUBUQUE, Iowa – An eight-kilogram African leopard tortoise who went missing from an Iowa museum has been found alive in an elevator in the building.

KWWL-TV reports that officials at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque believe the tortoise named Cashew was stolen, but that the thief quietly returned the animal.

The museum says a visitor found Cashew on the elevator floor Thursday. She appears to be in good health.

The museum discovered Cashew was missing Tuesday from an exhibit.

Museum officials suspected she was taken as a prank or to sell.

Museum officials are reviewing surveillance video to try to figure out exactly what happened and find a possible suspect.