55-pound tortoise who kept escaping home now regularly rides California trains

When Sherman (@shermanator209), the famous sulcate tortoise, escaped from home, his owner, Wilson Tsai, realized he wanted to explore the world beyond the backyard. So, he started taking him on trips across California. Today, Sherman has become a local celebrity and an Internet sensation. He even makes guest appearances on television shows. Not just that, Sherman also visits restaurants to celebrate special days, and although he doesn’t eat burgers, he's specifically fond of lettuce. At just 11 years old, the adorable tortoise already has 11,000 TikTok followers. A video from Kron 4 on October 7, 2026, shows Sherman reveling in his newfound fame.

Named after a warrior

Weighing just 55 pounds, Sherman, the sulcate tortoise, was adopted in 2025 by Tsai, who first saw him at Cali FID Parrot & Exotics Rescue Sanctuary. Tsai and his family are great animal lovers, so when a neighbor told him about the animal sanctuary, he immediately planned a visit with his kids. Sherman was love at first sight. Unlike most tortoises, he didn’t even retract into his shell when Tsai and his family approached him. That was a sign that he was ready to explore the world with them. His fearlessness led Tsai to name him “Sherman,” after the M4 Sherman tank most commonly used by the United States and its allies in World War II.

A shell on the run

“We had no plans to adopt that day, but then we met Sherman and fell in love with him,” Tsai told Herald Leader. After bringing him home and spending time with him, Tsai and his wife, Jun, noticed the tortoise was always looking for a chance to escape. Usually, whenever the gate was left open, he would sneak out and walk half a mile down the road before neighbors alerted the owners. “It’s not hard to find a giant tortoise; he may get out, but we can usually find him,” Tsai described. Soon, Tsai and his family realized their turtle wanted to explore the world. So they started taking him on trips in a plastic container and documenting the journeys on TikTok. To this date, Sherman has memorized several routes, including one heading to the nearby park.

Sherman’s fan club

Today, Sherman enjoys celebrity status. “People drop whatever they’re doing, and then they just stare at him nonstop. They take selfies with him; it’s like their entire world just stops when he’s around,” Tsai described. Sherman also shared great friendship with Tsai’s two children, 10-year-old Ariel and her 5-year-old brother, Poseidon. “I love him because he is very nice and energetic,” Ariel described. And although he goes frantic when he sees another male tortoise, when it comes to people, he is very welcoming. He has been spotted at several places, including a McDonald's drive-through and even a BART train while travelling to San Francisco. After a long trip, Sherman often comes up to Tsai expecting some caresses, another sign that he trusts humans.

The tortoise inheritance

According to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, the sulcata tortoise is the third-largest species of tortoise globally. Typically, they are natives of the Sahara Desert. They live for nearly 50-plus years, are about 18 inches in shell length, and adults weigh somewhere between 70 and 200 pounds. Although their bodies respond to temperature fluctuations, they are very large and strong and can knock over heavy objects with ease. The Dodo says it is absolutely legal to keep these reptilian animals as a pet in California. Looking ahead, Tsai knows that Sherman might outlive him. So, he set up a will and trust for his old age, according to which whichever of his children keeps him will get 10% more of his care.

You can follow Sherman (@shermanator209) on TikTok to follow his adventures.

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