At Philadelphia Zoo, a pair of 100-year-old critically endangered giant tortoises, Abrazzo and Mommy, have welcomed four hatchlings, marking a historic moment in the zoo’s 150-year history. Mommy, who arrived at the zoo in 1932, is the oldest known first-time mother of her species, the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise, which is critically endangered in the wild. The birth is particularly significant as there are fewer than 50 of these tortoises kept in US zoos.
The first egg hatched on February 27, with more hatchlings following in the subsequent days. The new arrivals, weighing between 70 and 80 grams, are currently being cared for behind the scenes in the zoo’s Reptile and Amphibian House, where they are reportedly “eating and growing appropriately.” The hatchlings are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ breeding program aimed at species survival and genetic diversity.
Philadelphia Zoo is set to unveil the quartet to the public on April 23, coinciding with the 93rd anniversary of Mommy’s arrival at the zoo. Zoo President and CEO Jo-Elle Mogerman hailed the occasion as a significant milestone in the zoo’s history, expressing excitement at sharing the news. Abrazzo, originally from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in South Carolina, moved to Philadelphia in 2020. The zoo envisions that these hatchlings will contribute to a thriving population of Galapagos tortoises in a healthy world a century from now.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrvlk8lnymo
