The oldest residents of Philadelphia Zoo have become first-time parents.
Mommy and Abrazzo, both almost 100 year old Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises, are now proud parents of four little hatchlings.
The Zoo’s reptile and amphibian team recently hatched four critically endangered tortoises, the first successful hatching of this species in the Zoo’s history.
The animal care team “worked diligently to provide the right conditions for Mommy to lay her eggs and for the eggs to incubate and successfully hatch,” Philadelphia Zoo Director of Herpetology and Birds Lauren Augustine said in a statement.
After Mommy laid her 16 eggs in November 2024, the team dug them up to incubate eight as male and eight as female. Incubation temperature determines the sex of the hatchlings. Temperatures below 82.4°F produce males while those above 85.1°F produce females.
Typically, the eggs hatch after four to eight months. The four baby tortoises that have hatched are female.
The first one hatched on February 27 and the animal care team is still monitoring eggs that could hatch in the next few weeks. Mommy is the oldest known first-time mom of her species in the world. She is considered one of the most genetically valuable Galapagos tortoises in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan and now her children are also considered some of the most genetically valuable of their species under human care.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan’s breeding program is designed to ensure the survival of endangered species like the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises. The last babies to hatch in an AZA accredited zoo was in 2019 at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in South Carolina.
“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,” Philadelphia Zoo President & CEO Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman said.
“Mommy arrived at the Zoo in 1932, meaning anyone that has visited the Zoo for the last 92 years has likely seen her. Philadelphia Zoo’s vision is that those hatchlings will be a part of a thriving population of Galapagos tortoises on our healthy planet 100 years from now.”
The hatchlings are thriving, weighing between 70 to 80 grams, and are expected to make their public debut on Wednesday, April 23, the 93rd anniversary of Mommy’s arrival at the Philadelphia Zoo in 1932.
Galapagos tortoises are the largest living species of tortoises native to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. They can live between 100 and 200 years old.
Zoo guests can also meet Mommy and Abrazzo during a Behind-the- Scenes experience at the Zoo. Tours are offered Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $65 dollars and do not include Zoo admission, but members receive discounts on tickets.
For the latest updates on the hatchlings or to learn how you can adopt a Galapagos tortoise to support their care visit philadelphiazoo.org.
All images and video are courtesy of the Philadelphia Zoo.
