Morty, an African spurred tortoise, escaped from his backyard enclosure for the second summer in a row Monday, driven by his desire to find a mate.

Described by his owner as "our little bulldozer," Morty has an established knack for going on the run toward the end of summer.

"This is their prime breeding season," owner and Altoona resident Karen Coker told the Register. "He’s looking for a girlfriend."

The first time Morty flew the coop, in August 2018, he shredded a chain link fence. Coker erected railroad ties to try and prevent another escape. She's investigating how Morty was able to bypass the enhanced defenses.

Morty was discovered wandering on First Avenue South by Des Moines resident Josh Wing, who followed him three of four blocks.

After Wing posted pictures on Facebook and alerted the Altoona police, Morty was returned to his home.

African spurred tortoises are the third-largest species of tortoise in the world and are native to the Sahara Desert. Morty is 27 years old and is spending his third year with Coker.

After Labor Day, Morty is moved inside for the winter, but the tortoise surely made the most out of his last day outdoors.

Aaron Calvin covers trending news for the Register. Reach him at acalvin@registermedia.com, 515-556-9097 or on Twitter at @aaronpcalvin.

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