Another radiated tortoise (Photo: Kyle Bedell/flickr)

Yellow lines streak in stars across the dark shell of a radiated tortoise. It’s beautiful, and highly prized in the illegal wildlife market. 

The Perth Zoo is freaking out, because they had a 10-year-old radiated tortoise that’s now gone missing. Its cage wasn’t obviously broken into, although the zoo is reviewing security footage. It’s just gone.

The presumption is, though, that someone stole it, with the thought of selling it. The zoo is very worried about the tortoise’s welfare, because radiated tortoises are pretty picky. They have a special diet and need to stay at just the right temperature to eat.

There are very few radiated tortoises left in the world. They’re native to the southern parts of Madagascar and to the island of Reunion, and because their habitat is being destroyed, they’re critically endangered.

Bonus finds: Glaciers on Pluto

Every day, we highlight one newly lost or found object, curiosity or wonder. Discover something unusual or amazing? Tell us about it! Send your finds to sarah.laskow@atlasobscura.com.