A Happy Easter for Mama Tortoise: Four Eggs Hatch, Boosting Hope for Survival

At 97 years old, a female Galápagos tortoise became the oldest first-time mom of her species, welcoming four hatchlings and giving hope for the critically endangered reptile’s survival.

“This is such a huge success,” exclaims Lauren Augustine, director of herpetology at the Philadelphia Zoo. “Mommy has been part of our family for nearly a century, and now she’s helping secure the future of her species”.

In November, Mommy laid 16 eggs, which were carefully incubated by the zoo’s expert team. Four hatched. They are believed to be female due to their incubation temperatures. The Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo 92 years ago. In 2020, a 96-year-old male joined the zoo, and together, they made history. Indeed, it is the first-ever Galápagos tortoise births in the zoo’s 150-year history. Armed with a slow metabolism and the ability to store water, Galápagos tortoises are uniquely suited to survive in harsh conditions. Still, habitat loss and invasive species have seriously challenged their survival. This is why these hatchlings are crucial for the species’ survival.