PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Philadelphia Zoo has welcomed a remarkable development as its ancient residents, two nearly 100-year-old Galapagos tortoises, have become parents for the first time.
The zoo announced on Friday that they are thrilled with the birth of four hatchlings, marking a historic first for the zoo in its over 150 years of operation. The new arrivals are the offspring of the zoo’s oldest inhabitants — a female known as Mommy and a male called Abrazzo.
Currently, the hatchlings are housed privately within the Reptile and Amphibian House. The zoo reports they are “eating and growing appropriately,” with each weighing between 70 and 80 grams, akin to the size of a chicken egg. The initial hatching occurred on February 27, and more eggs might be on the verge of hatching as monitored by the zoo’s dedicated animal care team.
Jo-Elle Mogerman, President and CEO of the Philadelphia Zoo, expressed her excitement in a statement: “This is a significant milestone in the history of the Philadelphia Zoo, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this news with our city, region, and the world.”
As Mogerman pointed out, “Mommy arrived at the Zoo in 1932, meaning anyone that has visited the Zoo for the last 92 years has likely seen her. Our vision is that those hatchlings will be an integral part of a flourishing population of Galapagos tortoises on our vibrant planet 100 years from now.” Mommy is prized for her genetic value within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species survival plan. Notably, she holds the title of the oldest first-time mother of the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise species. Prior to this, the last batch of such tortoises hatched at an AZA-sanctioned zoo took place in 2019 at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. Other facilities with breeding pairs include the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Miami, and the Honolulu Zoo.
The Philadelphia Zoo intends to publicly display the hatchlings starting April 23. Furthermore, they plan to organize a contest to choose names for the new tortoise family members.