December 22, 2021 6.19 pm This story is over 27 months old

Charles Darwin the University of Lincoln tortoise turns on lab’s Christmas lights

Not the first time he made headlines!

By Local Democracy Reporter

Festive lights on a Christmas tree at one of the University of Lincoln’s laboratories were switched on by a unique guest this year.

Charles Darwin, a tortoise from the University of Lincoln, was given the task of switching on the Christmas lights wrapped around a tree in one of the on-campus labs at Minster House.

Once he had completed the task, which resulted in pressing his head against the button to switch on the lights, Charles was treated to a festive meal of cucumber and carrots with his friends.

You may recognise Charles Darwin the tortoise from a viral moment a few years ago, which saw him cut the ribbon with his mouth at the Joseph Banks Laboratories in 2015 alongside TV personality Chris Packham.

https://twitter.com/unilincoln/status/1462722681049075715?s=20

The video has been viewed over 11 million times around the world, making Charles Darwin almost as famous online as his namesake!