Philadelphia Zoo Celebrates First-Time Parents: 100-Year-Old Tortoises Have Four Baby Hatchlings
A pair of giant tortoises, both around 100 years old, have become first-time parents at the Philadelphia Zoo.
The zoo is very happy to announce that four baby tortoises have hatched from Abrazzo and Mommy, two Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises.
This is a special event for the zoo, which has been open for over 150 years. Mommy, who has been at the zoo since 1932, is the oldest first-time mother of her kind.
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Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises are critically endangered in the wild, with fewer than 50 living in U.S. zoos.
The first egg hatched on February 27, and the other babies followed soon after. The zoo staff is watching other eggs that may hatch in the coming weeks. Each hatchling weighs between 70 and 80 grams. They are currently being cared for in a special area of the zoo and are eating well.
According to a report by BBC, the zoo plans to show the hatchlings to the public on April 23, which is also the 93rd anniversary of Mommy’s arrival. These babies are part of a breeding program to help keep the species alive.
“This is a big moment for the Philadelphia Zoo,” said Jo-Elle Mogerman, the zoo’s president and CEO. “Many people who have visited the zoo over the years have likely seen Mommy.”
Abrazzo moved to the Philadelphia Zoo in 2020 from another zoo in South Carolina. Mogerman hopes these hatchlings will help create a healthy population of Galapagos tortoises in the future.
