Escapee tortoises found in island during heatwave
BBCA number of stray tortoises have been handed into an animal shelter after they escaped during hot weather.
Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty (GSPCA) said four of the reptiles were in its care on Thursday after being found within 24 hours. Two have since been collected by their owners.
Manager Steve Byrne said he expected more to be found while temperatures soar. He said the charity helped between 20 to 30 lost and escaped tortoises each year "particularly during very warm and sunny weather".
"Tortoises are surprisingly good climbers and escape artists, and the warmer weather often encourages them to become more active and travel further than owners might expect," he said.
Byrne said the majority of tortoises they find tend to be males during warmer months when "they are often on the move looking for mates".
He urged tortoise owners to regularly check fences and garden boundaries and consider microchipping where appropriate.
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