Tortilla
'The Fastest Tortoise in Oxford"
Tortilla is a 12 year old Horsefield tortoise, who came to Lincoln in 2020. Tortoises are the most popular college pet at Oxford, with Lincoln joining other colleges in this tradition including Christ Church, St Peter’s and Balliol.
Each year, a student is elected to be Keeper of the College Tortoise (students compete for this role in Hilary term). The Tortoise Keeper nominates several Tortoise Assistants to aid the well-being of Tortilla.
Want to Get Involved?
Tortoise assistants help to feed, bathe and check on the tortoise. Contact the Tortoise Keeper or come to a JCR meeting to find out more!
Tortilla spends most of his time in the MCR, where he has an enclosure that is kept at optimum temperature. In the summer, he can often be found munching grass in Grove Quad. During winter, he goes into hibernation, and is kept in the tortoise keeper’s fridge to keep him cool!
One of the most important roles of the tortoise is participation in the yearly Oxford tortoise race! This takes place every Trinity term at Corpus Christi College, and all proceeds go to charity. In 2022, Tortilla made his debut, where he won! Unfortunately Tortilla was not at his best for the 2023 race but hopes to make a comeback for 2024…
If you have any questions about the college tortoise, please direct them to the Tortoise Keeper, who will be happy to assist if possible.