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97-Year-Old Galápagos Tortoise Breaks Record as First-Time Mom

A 97-year-old Galápagos tortoise just gave birth at the Philadelphia Zoo, marking a milestone for the species.
ByCaLea Johnson|
History in the Making! Critically Endangered Galapagos Tortoises Hatch at Philadelphia Zoo!
History in the Making! Critically Endangered Galapagos Tortoises Hatch at Philadelphia Zoo! | Philadelphia Zoo

Galapagos tortoises can live for more than 100 years. According to The Washington Post, one tortoise, believed to be about 97 years old, is now the oldest first-time mom of her species.

Mommy, a Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise, recently gave birth to four babies at her home at the Philadelphia Zoo. In November 2024, she laid 16 eggs about the size of billiard balls. The first hatched on February 27, and three more followed suit soon after. Incubation temperatures determine a tortoise’s sex, and because the four eggs were kept at 85.℉ minimum, they are likely to be female. (Temperatures under 82.4°F would lead to males.) The Philadelphia Zoo team is keeping an eye on the eggs that have yet to hatch, and it could take as long as eight months for the remaining siblings to show their faces. 

The four hatchlings alone are a reason to celebrate. There were only 44 Western Santa Cruz tortoises in all American zoos before they arrived. Thanks to Mommy and her partner, 96-year-old Abrazzo, that number is now up to 48 and counting. The feat is thanks in large part to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is dedicated to the ongoing survival of the endangered species both in the wild and captivity.

For now, the babies are being kept separate from the parents and other tortoises at the zoo. They currently weigh less than a pound each and are too small to be around adults of their species, which can weigh hundreds of pounds. Luckily, zookeepers are able to provide them with the nutrition and care they need.

The baby tortoises will make their public debut on April 23, 2025, and will stay at the Philadelphia Zoo for at least five years. You can follow the Philadelphia Zoo online to keep track of updates and possibly help the organization name the hatchlings.

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