PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Zoo has announced the successful hatching of four critically endangered Galápagos tortoise hatchlings—born to a pair of nearly 100-year-old tortoises who became first-time parents.
The zoo shared the exciting news on Friday, calling it “a significant milestone” in its more than 150-year history. The hatchlings are the offspring of “Mommy” and “Abrazzo,” the zoo’s oldest animal residents and longtime ambassadors of the species.
“This is a significant milestone in the history of Philadelphia Zoo, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this news with our city, region and the world,” said Zoo President and CEO Jo-Elle Mogerman in a statement.
“Mommy arrived at the Zoo in 1932, meaning anyone that has visited the Zoo for the last 92 years has likely seen her,” Mogerman added. “Philadelphia Zoo’s vision is that those hatchlings will be a part of a thriving population of Galápagos tortoises on our healthy planet 100 years from now.”
The four hatchlings, each weighing between 70 and 80 grams—or roughly the weight of a chicken egg—are currently being cared for behind the scenes in the Reptile and Amphibian House. The first egg hatched on February 27, and the zoo’s animal care team is still monitoring additional eggs that could hatch in the coming days.
According to the zoo, Mommy is now recognized as the oldest first-time mother of the Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise species. She is also considered one of the most genetically valuable individuals in the species survival plan managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The last recorded hatching of Galápagos tortoises at an AZA-accredited institution occurred in 2019 at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. Other U.S. zoos involved in similar conservation efforts include the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Miami, and the Honolulu Zoo.
A public debut for the Philadelphia hatchlings is scheduled for April 23, along with a naming contest to engage the community in celebrating this rare and remarkable event.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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