Much like people, some animals take to parenthood later than usual.
More hatchlings could emerge in the coming weeks as well.
Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises are one of 13 living subspecies.
Mommy has lived at the Philadelphia Zoo since 1932, and is its oldest resident.© Philadelphia Zoo
Western Santa Cruz tortoises in particular are critically endangeredmaking the arrival of these hatchlings all the more important.
Its been a long journey for Mommy to reach motherhood, though.
Shes lived at the Philadelphia Zoo for over 90 years.
The blind date pairing worked, and by 2023, Mommy began to lay clutches of eggs.
Sadly, the first three clutches failed to result in viable eggs.
But Mommys fourth clutch, laid in November 2024, was finally a success.
A Galapagos tortoises sex is determined by the temperature of the buried holes theyre incubated in as eggs.
The four hatchlings seen so far are all female.
This successful outcome comes from years of hard work studying animal behavior and providing top-level care.
So the hatchlings are vital to the continued conservation of this rare subspecies.
And fortunately, Mommys contribution to the gene pool might not be over yet.
They also plan to have the public name the crucial next generation of these long-lived reptiles.
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