Philadelphia Zoo's oldest resident gives birth to 4 critically endangered tortoises
Their mother is a first-time mom at 97 years old, becoming the oldest known first-time mother of her species
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Zoo is celebrating a world record.
Four critically endangered western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises have just hatched.
And, remarkably, their mother is a first-time mom at 97 years old! That's the oldest known first-time mother of her species. She has lived at the Philadelphia Zoo for the past nine decades since April 1932, becoming the oldest and longest tenured resident.
Abrazzo, the hatchlings' father, who was moved to the zoo in December 2020, is an estimated 96 years old, according to the zoo.
The first of the four hatchlings, all female, began to emerge from its white, hard-shelled egg on Feb. 27, the zoo said. The four hatchlings are part of a clutch of 16 eggs Mommy laid back in November 2024, and the zoo's animal care team is continuing to monitor additional eggs that may hatch in upcoming weeks.
The four hatchlings - which have yet to be named - will make their public debut at the Philadelphia Zoo's Reptile and Amphibian House on April 23, which is also the 93rd anniversary of Mommy's arrival at the zoo.
"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 President and CEO Jo-Elle Mogerman, Ph.D., said in a statement. "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."
In addition to Mommy, Abrazo and their four hatchlings, the Philadelphia Zoo is home to one other adult Galapagos tortoise named Little Girl, as well as two giant Aldabra tortoises named Betty and Wilma.
GMA contributed to this report.
