PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (AP) — A significant milestone has been achieved at the Philadelphia Zoo with the hatching of four critically endangered Galapagos tortoises, marking the first time in the zoo's more than 150-year history that such an event has occurred. The hatchlings are the offspring of a nearly 100-year-old female tortoise named Mommy and her mate Abrazzo, who is also one of the zoo's oldest residents.
In an announcement made on Friday, zoo officials expressed their joy over the arrival of these new hatchlings. The young tortoises, which weigh between 70 and 80 grams—approximately equivalent to 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 closely monitoring additional eggs that may also hatch soon.
Philadelphia Zoo President and CEO Jo-Elle Mogerman emphasized the significance of this event, declaring it a milestone for the zoo. "We couldn’t be more excited to share this news with our city, region, and the world," she stated. Mommy has been a resident of the zoo since 1932, and Mogerman noted that anyone who has visited the zoo over the past 92 years has likely had the opportunity to see her. The zoo aims for these hatchlings to contribute to a thriving population of Galapagos tortoises on a healthy planet over the next century.
Mommy is regarded as one of the most genetically valuable Galapagos tortoises within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) species survival plan. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the oldest first-time mother of the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos species. The last instance of Galapagos tortoises hatching at an AZA-accredited zoo occurred in 2019 at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. Other zoos, including the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Miami, and Honolulu Zoo, also maintain breeding pairs of Galapagos tortoises.
To celebrate this remarkable achievement, the Philadelphia Zoo plans to host a public debut for the hatchlings on April 23. Alongside this unveiling, the zoo will initiate a naming contest for the new arrivals, inviting the community to engage with this important conservation effort.
