Madeline Hess, Staff Writer
The Philadelphia Zoo has recently hatched nine new Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises! The two parents, Mommy and Abrazzo, are about 97 and 96 years old and remain the zoo’s oldest residents. Mommy, who has been at the zoo since 1932, is the oldest known tortoise of this species to be a first-time mom. Last year, she gave birth to seven others, which makes the current total of tortoises 16. This provides a remarkable increase for this subspecies, which has been classified as critically endangered.
The Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise is a subspecies of the Galapagos tortoise. They originate from Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands, located next to Ecuador. Scientists often assume that these tortoises migrated to the islands by floating on vegetation, due to their ability to survive without food and water for long amounts of time.
There are about 24,620 to 27,325 Galapagos tortoises left in the wild, with the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise taking up about 3,400 of that statistic. They are the largest living species of tortoise, with males growing to as much as 500 pounds and females averaging 250. They are thought to live as long as 200 years.
The population of these tortoises used to be much higher, ranging from about 100,000 to 200,000 globally. However, this amount has gone down significantly due to factors such as ecological disruption, human agriculture, and hunting. Additionally, there are eleven other subspecies of Galapagos tortoise who are facing the same issue. The Eastern Santa Cruz Giant Galapagos tortoise has a population of only 250, as well as the Espanola Giant Galapagos tortoise, with a population ranging from 100 to200. The Fernandina Giant tortoise, a subspecies discovered in 1906, was thought to be extinct until a single female turtle was found on Fernandina Island in the Galapagos. While the turtle was transferred to a breeding center, the future is still uncertain for that subspecies and many others. Many organizations and conservation programs exist on the Galapagos Islands, and the tortoises do remain federally protected – however, this does not entirely cease the problems at hand. This is what makes the birth of these tortoises so important to the zoo community and the future efforts of wildlife conservation as a whole.
While Mommy has been at the zoo for decades, Abrazzo was introduced in 2020. The two met in 2022 and Mommy started laying eggs in 2023, but did not produce a successful clutch until November 2024. This is the second clutch of this species to hatch in the history of the Philadelphia Zoo. These offspring will most likely live to be at least 100 years old, creating a huge window for more reproduction of this subspecies. The recent births increased the population of these tortoises in United States zoos by 36%.
The newly hatched tortoises themselves are healthy and stable, with most of them already being named. The first four females, who hatched in the spring, were named after the Golden Girls. Other names include Zee, James, Colette, Soledad, Isabelle, Roger, Fausto, Caldero, Lee, Marigold, Puddlefoot, and Kelpy. Any unnamed tortoises are marked with nontoxic nail polish to identify them. Additionally, a few of these names contain a bit of history. For example, Soledad, a female turtle, has a name that translates to solitude or lonesomeness, as an homage to Lonesome George, who was the last surviving Pinta Island Galapagos tortoise before passing away in 2012 and deeming the species extinct. After the birth of the second clutch, a fundraising campaign started up, giving donors the opportunity to name a turtle with every $25 donation. All proceeds went to conservation. This campaign closed on August 27th.
The Philadelphia Zoo remains dedicated and devoted to the effort put into keeping this subspecies of tortoise healthy and plentiful. Wilma and Betty, two Giant Aldabra tortoises, and Little Girl, another Galapagos, also remain in their care.
Rachel Metz, Vice President of Animal Well-Being and Conservation, stated that “What motivates us each and every day is sharing the joy of animals and creating meaningful connections between them and our guests. Galapagos tortoises, and many, many other critically endangered reptile and amphibian species, are in serious need of our help and attention. I hope these hatchlings inspire a new generation of herpetologists to work in zoos and continue the important work we are doing.”
You can see Mommy and Abrazzo in the Philadelphia Zoo’s Reptile and Amphibian House. If you are looking for a more personal viewing, you can register for a behind-the-scenes tour to meet them up close, which runs on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2 p.m.
