Mommy, a centenarian resident at Philadelphia Zoo, has officially lived up to her name – she gave birth to four hatchlings, becoming a mom at the grand old age of 100 (or thereabouts).
The births are a cause of celebration as this marks the first time in the zoo’s 150-year-plus history that a critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis porteri) has given birth.
“This is a significant milestone in the history of Philadelphia Zoo, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this news with our city, region, and the world,” Dr Jo-Elle Mogerman, Philadelphia Zoo President and CEO, said in a statement.
Both parents, Mommy and Abrazzo, are thought to be around 100 years old, making the tortoises two of the zoo’s oldest residents and Mommy the oldest-known first-time mom of her kind.
These births are part of a breeding program designed to shore up the survival of the species, which is currently facing a whole host of threats from habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species to conflict with humans. There are thought to be just 3,400 of these giant tortoises left, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises as critically endangered.
“At one point, each of the Galapagos Islands had its own unique Galapagos tortoise, but sadly, several of them are now extinct,” said Rachel Metz, Vice President of Animal Well-Being and Conservation at Philadelphia Zoo.
“These hatchlings not only protect the species from extinction, but serve as important ambassadors to inspire guests to save wildlife and wild places.”
The last time the program reported a successful hatching was in 2019, when a tortoise at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, South Carolina, gave birth to two hatchlings. Despite her age, Mommy is one of the most genetically valuable Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises in the program.
Mommy enjoying a spring day.
Image courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo
“This successful outcome comes from years of hard work studying animal behavior and providing top-level care,” said Lauren Augustine, Director of Herpetology and Birds at Philadelphia Zoo.
“Until now, Mommy’s genes were not represented in the [Association of Zoos and Aquariums] population, making these offspring extremely important in the protection of this species.”
According to the zoo, Mommy has laid 16 eggs in total, eight of which have been incubated as male and another eight that have been incubated as female (the sex is dictated by incubation temperature, which staff at the zoo can control). The first hatched on February 27, 2025 and another three have hatched since, all four of which were incubated as female. Staff are continuing to monitor the remaining eggs, which they say could hatch over the next few weeks.
The four hatchlings.
Image courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo
“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,” said Mogerman.
The hatchlings will make their public debut later this month on April 23, coinciding with the 93rd anniversary of Mommy’s addition to Philadelphia Zoo.
7/4/25: This story was updated to include photos of the hatchlings and Mommy.
Source Link: Critically Endangered Tortoise Becomes A First-Time Mom At The Age Of 100
