It香蕉视频直播檚 a big day for Franklin the marginated tortoise who is being brought out of his slumber after spending 15 weeks chilling out in a refrigerator.

The tortoise, rescued from the shores of Shuswap Lake in the British Columbia Interior in 2022, has been in the refrigerator at the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops since Oct. 1, in a hibernation-like state known as brumation.

The park香蕉视频直播檚 animal care manager Tracy Reynolds says marginated tortoises are more at home in a warm and dry Mediterranean climate, and winter in the B.C. Interior is 香蕉视频直播渇ar too harsh香蕉视频直播� for Franklin to spend outdoors.

She says he香蕉视频直播檚 been kept at 6 degrees Celsius in a refrigerator at the park but is scheduled Tuesday to move into an indoor habitat with his new neighbour, a red-footed tortoise named Mortimer.

Reynolds says Franklin was likely an abandoned pet, and the people who rescued him cared for him for a few months before handing him over to the park

She says brumation is a natural process for cold-blooded animals like tortoises, allowing them to conserve energy through winter.

香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 completely shut down or stop moving. They do move around a little bit in their little hibernation area. It香蕉视频直播檚 just their body cools right down, and they go into a state of torpor 香蕉视频直播� everything slows down,香蕉视频直播� Reynolds said.

She says once Franklin香蕉视频直播檚 body warms up, he香蕉视频直播檒l become active right away.

Reynolds said Franklin was reserved and ill when he was first brought to the park, but he has been getting stronger and more 香蕉视频直播渙utgoing.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 think we香蕉视频直播檙e starting to see his personality, if you want to call it that, but it香蕉视频直播檚 kind of changing over time, and his activity level and what he engages with is getting more and more as he gets healthier,香蕉视频直播� said Reynolds.

She said Franklin and Mortimer were both once pets but their owners probably 香蕉视频直播渄idn香蕉视频直播檛 want them anymore because they are a very long commitment.香蕉视频直播�

She said Franklin香蕉视频直播檚 story highlights the importance of doing research before getting a pet, particularly tortoises, since some species including marginated tortoises can live for 100 years.

香蕉视频直播淪o, you香蕉视频直播檙e not looking at just a five or 10-year commitment. You香蕉视频直播檙e looking at maybe having to put it in your will,香蕉视频直播� laughed Reynolds, 香蕉视频直播淚t might outlive you.香蕉视频直播�