Alpine REscue Team Saves 2 From Colorado Flood

[Gregory Matthews]

Al Matlock was in a quandary. He was out of power and food. Telephone service was gone and the there was no entry into Glen Haven by road. Al knew that if 25 lb. Toby and 50 lb. Savinaw were not evacuated, they would not live through the night.

So, Matlock did the only thing possible. He hiked miles over the mountains to his friends in Dunraven. There Debora and Larry sent out a series of text messages asking for immediate help. Those messages resulted in a posting on Facebook and e-mails in response.

Jim Detterline, with 30 years of experience in alpine rescue responded. So did Tim Trout an employee of the Denver Zoo. A team of six was formed to evacuate Toby and Savinaw. Local guides marked the safest entry and exit into Glen Haven and laid lumber across streams.

Toby was strapped, against his will, to an alpine rescue sled and Savinaw was zippered in to a backpack. Just as the sun was setting the rescue party reached a navigable road and waiting vehicle transportation. That evening Toby and Savinaw, both tortoises, were safe and sound, enjoying their meal of pumpkin.

This story is adapted from an article in the September 28 Denver Post, written by Electa Draper.

[phkrause]

That was really The whole I was reading this, I kept asking myself, "who are they talking about." Thanks for the post.

[debbym]

Hooray!!!

Cheers for the rescue team, and Matlock's bravery to save his reptile family.

[Gregory Matthews]

FYI They were "cold blooded" creatures. They depend upon the outside temperature to keep their body temperature up. They would not have ssurvived the cold night.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

awww... I love stories like this!!!

[Naomi]

[Gregory Matthews]

Just by way of interest, it took the rescue team 2-hours to evacuate them to the road and the waiting vehicle.

The Denver Post has been running a series of articles on the animals who have been affected by the flood. They have been interesting and well researched.

Did you know that if you remove an adult box turtle from the area where it normally lives, it will die? Box turtles normally live in an area eaqual to 5 to 10 football fields. They map that area in their brains. When transplanted to another area they know that they are not home and they attempt to travel back to their home. Normally, they do not make it. Often they are run over by vehicles.

Other types of turtles may be able to make it in the new area.

[Gerr]

Oh, is Matlock still on? I thought it's been cancelled for ages.

Nice story.

[phkrause]

Oh, is Matlock still on? I thought it's been cancelled for ages.

Nice story.