A pet tortoise was miraculously found in a family attic after missing for 30 years in Rio De Janeiro.
They say that cats have nine lives, but felines have nothing on this turtle.
In the early eighties, the Almedia family thought their pet tortoise, Manela, had gone missing after the house underwent some electrical work and employees left the door ajar.
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Shortly after the pet vanished, the family began asking neighbours if they had seen Manela, but no one had, and they concluded she ran away to the nearest forest, according to My Modern Net.
However, In 2013, the reptile was found three decades later after the father, Leonel, passed away. According to Leonel’s daughter, Lenita, now a mother, her dad was a bit of a hoarder and frequently stored items away in the attic.
Upon his death, they began clearing the attic, Marie Kondo style, when they found the surprise of their lives, according to The Dodo.
“I put the garbage bag on the floor, and the neighbour just told me, ‘Are you going to throw the turtle away, too?'” Leandro, Leonel's son, told the outlet.
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Lenita also admitted she was so overcome with emotion upon founding her childhood pet she began crying during their reunion.
The family believe the red-footed animal merely survived eating termite larvae. However, adult tortoises can live without eating for six months to three years, according to Tortoise Lab.
And despite the Manuela being found nearly 10 years ago, the pet is still alive today.
But how is this possible, you ask? Amazingly tortoises can have a life span of up to 50 and 100 years; however, some that have even surpassed the 150-year mark, according to AZ Animals.
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After finding the pet, the family discovered it was actually a male and renamed him ‘Manuel’ and was adopted by Lenita’s son, Nathalye.
Nathalye said: “I brought him in to live with me because I have a lot of affection for him.”
He also disclosed that his mother still visits Manuel and likes to spoil him rotten.
“She feeds him, pets him, and kisses him,” he said. “He's part of our family.”
Charisa Bossinakis