Imagine having a baby when you’re 50 years old.
Now, imagine having four babies at that age.
Now, think about having four babies when you’re almost 100!
. Source : USA TODAY LATEST NEWS
A couple in Philadelphia — actually, two endangered Galapagos tortoises — just became parents to four baby tortoises. These are the first Galapagos tortoises to hatch successfully at the Philadelphia Zoo.
The parents, named Mommy and Abrazzo, are Western Santa Cruz tortoises. Mommy has lived at the zoo since 1932, and Abrazzo arrived in 2020. They’re two of the zoo’s most well-known animals. According to the zoo, Mommy is likely the oldest first-time mother of her kind.
The four baby tortoises began hatching on February 27. They will be shown to the public for the first time on April 23, which marks 93 years since their mom arrived at the zoo. The zoo, which opened in 1874, says the babies are healthy, eating well, and growing. Each one weighs about 70 to 80 grams—about the same as a chicken egg.
The Hatching Was Part Of A Plan To Help Save The Species
The breeding was done through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan. This program helps protect animals from dying out and makes sure their genes stay diverse and healthy.
Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises are in danger of disappearing. This is because they are losing their homes, dealing with invasive animals, and facing problems caused by humans. source: World Info Organization
The last time this kind of tortoise hatched at an AZA-accredited zoo was in 2019 at the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. Other zoos working to breed them include the San Diego Zoo, Miami Zoo, and Honolulu Zoo.
Female tortoises usually lay 2 to 20 eggs in a hole, and they’re about the size of billiard balls, the zoo said. Mommy laid 16 eggs in November. The zoo’s reptile team carefully dug them up and kept them warm at different temperatures to help them grow into baby tortoises. This helped them get four males and four females. . Source : USA TODAY LATEST NEWS
Before this, Mommy had laid eggs four times, but none of those eggs hatched. This time, all four female tortoises hatched successfully. (Lower temperatures, below 82.4°F, make males, while higher temperatures, above 85.1°F, make females.)
Meet The Parents
Mommy came to the Philadelphia Zoo on April 23, 1932, when she was thought to be about 4 years old. She weighs 284 pounds and is now around 97 years old. She was born in the wild in the Galapagos Islands. A man named Milton W. Holden brought her to Philadelphia after traveling to the islands with Vincent Astor, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist. source: World Info Organization
Abrazzo, the father of the baby tortoises, arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo from the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina in December 2020. He’s thought to be around 96 years old and was also born in the wild, like Mommy. The first records of Abrazzo go back to April 1929 at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas. Source : USA TODAY LATEST NEWS 2025
Galapagos tortoises are the largest tortoises alive today. Males can weigh up to 500 pounds, and females can weigh up to 250 pounds. Scientists think they can live between 100 and 200 years. They spend their time soaking up the sun, eating grass, and resting.
Along with their new babies, Mommy and Abrazzo also live with another Galapagos tortoise named Little Girl and two giant Aldabra tortoises called Wilma and Betty. . source: World Info Organization 2025
