I've wondered how our wild garden tortoises survive the colder times in winter. They don't hibernate but do disappear during colder spells. Luckily this winter a little fella has settled into an area where I can observe. He digs a sloping hole and gets into it every afternoon at about 4pm, spends the night, and emerges at about 11am when the sun is warm enough. We have some heavy rainfall so the slope is pretty ingenious. His feet might get wet in the hole but his head remains out of the water. Amazing creature as the nights can fall to about 0 dgrees celcius here. I have attached some pics, sunglasses for scale!
Above: empty hole under some brush
Above: Little guy snug in his hole
This little one is going on for about 2 years old now. Still quite small.
Above: empty hole under some brush
Above: Little guy snug in his hole
This little one is going on for about 2 years old now. Still quite small.