Tortoise Found Alive After Being Trapped Under a Floor in Brazil for 10 Years — How Did It Survive?

A tortoise was found alive in Brazil during renovations after being trapped under a house floor for nearly 10 years. The unusual incident sparked great interest on social media.

The homeowners in Tocantins state noticed a cavity beneath the floor while removing the tiles.

When they looked inside, they found a yellow-footed tortoise, known as a jabuti.

According to the family, the floor had been installed about 10 years earlier. The tortoise may therefore have accidentally been trapped underneath during construction.

Most astonishingly, it survived despite spending years in an enclosed space.

How did it survive?

Experts point out that tortoises have very slow metabolisms, meaning they use extremely little energy.

The tortoise may have survived on minimal amounts of moisture, tiny insects, and other organic matter beneath the floor.

When found, the tortoise was very weak, but it was still moving and responding to its surroundings.

After being rescued and fed again, its health gradually began to improve.

The tortoise, which survived nearly 10 years beneath a floor, once again demonstrated how astonishing nature’s ability to survive can be.