Turtle couple become first-time parents at nearly 100 years old

An extremely rare pair of Galapagos tortoises, nearly 100 years old at the Philadelphia Zoo (USA) have become parents for the first time.

This is the first time this event has happened in the more than 150-year history of the Philadelphia Zoo (USA) - Photo: Philadelphia Zoo

According to CNN , the zoo said they were "extremely excited" about the birth of four Galapagos tortoise chicks - an event that has happened for the first time in the zoo's more than 150-year history.

Galapagos tortoise couple gives birth for the first time

The baby turtles are the result of a female named Mommy and a male named Abrazzo - two of the zoo's oldest residents.

The four baby turtles are currently being cared for at the Reptile and Amphibian House, "eating and growing properly," according to information from the zoo.

They weigh from 70 grams to 80 grams, equivalent to the weight of a chicken egg.

The first egg hatched on February 27, and several others are still being monitored by the animal care team.

“This is a significant milestone in the history of the Philadelphia Zoo. We are excited to share this news with the city, the region and the world, ” said President and CEO Jo-Elle Mogerman.

"Mommy came to the zoo in 1932, which means anyone who has visited in the past 92 years has likely seen her," she said.

Baby turtle naming contest

According to Mogerman, the Philadelphia Zoo's vision is that these baby tortoises will become part of a thriving Galapagos tortoise population on a sustainable planet in 100 years.

Mommy is considered one of the most genetically valuable Galapagos tortoises in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's (AZA) species conservation program. She is also the oldest first-time mother of the Galapagos tortoise species in the Western Santa Cruz area.

The most recent clutch of this species to hatch at an AZA-accredited zoo was in 2019, at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina. The San Diego Zoo, Zoo Miami, and Honolulu Zoo also have breeding pairs.

The Philadelphia Zoo plans to unveil the baby turtle to the public on April 23 and hold a naming contest.

Read more Back to Topics

DAWN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cap-doi-rua-lan-dau-lam-cha-me-o-tuoi-gan-100-20250410070609433.htm