Sir, - The severe winter just experienced has extremely serious consequences for many people's pet tortoises. A great many tortoises have died and thousands more are at risk when they awake due to frost damage suffered during hibernation. It is vitally important that owners check their animals immediately and seek veterinary attention for any which show signs of damage. The most frequent problem is a failure to emerge voluntarily from hibernation and subsequent disorientation and refusal to feed due to frost induced blindness.
The Tortoise Trust has a special information pack available, free of charge, which we will gladly send to any concerned tortoise keeper on receipt of a medium sized SAE. - Yours etc
The Tortoise Trust,
BM Tortoise,
London, WC1N 3XX.