Philadelphia Zoo Shows 16 Critically Endangered Western Santa Cruz Tortoise Hatchlings
Sixteen critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoises born to parents estimated to be around 100 years old have been showcased at the Philadelphia Zoo. The hatchlings, the first offspring of Mommy (arrived in 1932) and Abrazzo (brought from Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina), are eating well and growing. Their parents are the zoo’s oldest inhabitants and highly genetically valuable for species preservation. Four females were named after "Golden Girls" characters, while three males were hatched in April. The hatchlings will remain at the zoo for at least a year before being relocated next fall. Western Santa Cruz tortoises, native to the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador’s coast, are thought to live up to 200 years.