Not your average pet: Endangered tortoise inspires Jacksonville conservation movement

Every morning, Brett Desser climbs the stairs of her Jacksonville home to wake someone special. “Scooter!” she says as she goes up to the second floor. It’s not a dog pawing at the door, or a cat curled on a windowsill, or even a child wrapped in blankets. Instead, she’s heading to greet Scooter – her endangered African spurred tortoise who, true to her “sassy” personality, prefers to sleep in until noon.