Runaway tortoise survives 9 months in the wild & UK winter, found just 1km away from home

Runaway tortoise spotted just over 1 km away 9 months later, survived UK winter outdoors

A runaway tortoise in the United Kingdom (UK) escaped from its home nine months ago and had made it just over a kilometre before it was found.

The adventurous Leonardo had lived with its owner, Rachel Etches, for 13 years in the town of Ulverston.

In July 2024, the tortoise escaped its home, vanishing from Ms Etches’ garden when she got distracted.

In the next nine months, Leonardo was nowhere to be found, and Ms Etches feared the worst during winter.

She said that the tortoise had lived a “very comfortable life” under a heat lamp, and she did not think he could survive his first winter outdoors.

Pet shop receives tortoise 9 months later

On 22 April 2025, the local pet shop “Little Beasties Ulverston” posted on Facebook about a found tortoise.

“We have had a tortoise handed in this morning. Please share his post and get in touch if you think it’s yours.”

In the comments, Ms Etches wrote in, saying that it was hers.

On 24 April, Little Beasties declared that Leonardo was reunited with its owner after being missing for nine months.

“They couldn’t believe it when they heard the news,” the shop wrote.

The BBC reported that a dog walker spotted Leonardo walking down a street in the town and took him to the pet shop.

It was healthy and unscathed aside from a sore eye after its long adventure.

Tortoise believed to have hibernated through winter

Ms Etches said that Leonardo had managed to make it around a mile (1.6 km) from her house during its nine-month adventure.

She believed that it hibernated through the winter.

“Proud owner of the world’s best escape artist,” she wrote on Facebook. “Welcome home, you little bugger.”

Leonardo had previously escaped a few years ago, but people found and returned it after just a couple of days.

Ms Etches called tortoises “very adventurous beings” who always tested their boundaries.

Also read: ‘Why do you look like my cat?’: Woman reunites with lost pet after 2 years at M’sia eatery

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Featured image adapted from Rachel Etches via BBC and Rachel Etches on Facebook.