Sixteen rare western Santa Cruz tortoise hatchlings born to century-old parents debuted at the Philadelphia Zoo, hailed as a major conservation milestone.
Sixteen critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoises made their debut Wednesday at the Philadelphia Zoo, marking a rare conservation success.
The hatchlings, born earlier this year, are the first offspring of Mommy and Abrazzo, a pair of tortoises estimated to be about 100 years old. Mommy, who arrived at the zoo in 1932, had not produced offspring until Abrazzo was brought from Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina five years ago.
“Now this animal, who’s been in Philadelphia since 1932, will be represented here for, hopefully, another 100 years because her offspring are now part of our collection,” said Lauren Augustine, the zoo’s director of herpetology.
The hatchlings, already eating and growing, will stay at the zoo for at least a year before being relocated. Some have been named after “Golden Girls” characters, while others carry names like Soledad, Marigold Puddlefoot and Kelpy.
Western Santa Cruz tortoises, native to the Galapagos Islands, can live up to 200 years.
READ MORE AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES