Critically Endangered Tortoise Successfully Reproduces for First Time at 100

Critically Endangered Galapagos tortoise
Average lifespan ranges from 100 to 200 years

An endangered tortoise has successfully produced offspring for the first time at the age of 100. Tortoises are known for their longevity, but reproducing at around 100 is considered highly unusual.

According to local media, including People, on October 8, Mami, a Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise kept at the Philadelphia Zoo, laid eggs that produced a total of 16 hatchlings in two batches last year.

Mami successfully bred for the first time at the age of 100. She was also recorded as the oldest first-time mother among tortoises of her species. Her mate, a male tortoise named Abrazo, is also estimated to be nearly 100 years old. The two first attempted to mate in 2022 and laid eggs on three occasions, but none were viable.

Mami, an endangered turtle, and her hatchlings. Philadelphia Zoo.

Mami laid her first viable eggs in November 2024, and the hatchlings finally began emerging in February 2025.

The first four hatchlings were all female. The zoo named them Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia, after the main characters of the popular American sitcom The Golden Girls. Three males hatched in the spring. In the summer, another nine hatched—six males and three females—bringing the total to 16.

Mami has been part of the Philadelphia Zoo since 1932. Abrazo arrived at the zoo in 2020 following a breeding recommendation under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan.

The Philadelphia Zoo said, "The story of Mami, Abrazo and their 16 hatchlings is capturing the attention of people around the world," adding that it "demonstrates the importance of conserving endangered species."

The Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It faces major threats including habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species and conflicts with humans. Thanks to this successful breeding, however, the population of the species has now grown to 60.

Galápagos tortoises are considered the largest and longest-lived living tortoises. They are known to live for 100 to 200 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.