#NewsPaper - Oct. 29, 2020 ALABAMA: A 200-pound tortoise broke out of his enclosure, evaded capture for two days and wound up over 30 miles away from his Alabama home. Sparkplug, a surprisingly nimble African spurred tortoise, at an estimated 60 years old, returned to his Sardis City home last week after two days on the lam. His owner said it was the first time the family tortoise had ever attempted an escape.