Endangered tortoises recovered seven years after being stolen from Perth Zoo

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Two critically endangered tortoises that were stolen from a zoo in Australia seven years ago have finally been recovered.

Police officers discovered one of the rare Madagascan radiated tortoises at a house in the northern suburbs of Perth while searching it following reports of a burglary.

They suspected both tortoises, which were stolen from Perth Zoo in 2011 before being sold on, had been at the property together until the recent burglary.

A hunt was launched and the second reptile has now also been found almost three weeks later.

A 35-year-old woman has been charged with stealing and trespassing in relation to the second tortoise, which was found at a home in the suburb of Greenwood.

It comes as the zoo is under pressure to review its security measures, after a baby meerkat was stolen and subsequently recovered last week.

Radiated tortoises are almost extinct in their native Madagascar after years of poaching, with their wild population having halved in just five years.

Perth Zoo veterinarian Simone Vitali told Australian media that staff had given up hope of seeing the tortoises again.

"We try really hard as a zoo to use these animals as ambassadors for conservation and ambassadors for critical endangerment," she said.

"To have them treated as a commodity is just really soul destroying."

She said it was a surprise the pair of reptiles had survived seven years without care, adding that they will now spend 30 days in quarantine.