'Endangered' Turtle Couple Gives Birth to Four at 100 Years Old... Joy at US Zoo

The Oldest Mother Among Western Santa Cruz Galapagos Tortoises
Over 90 Years at the Zoo... Gives Birth for the First Time

A critically endangered Galapagos tortoise living at the Philadelphia Zoo in the United States became a mother at the age of 100.

According to CNN in the U.S. on the 8th (local time), four baby tortoises were born between a female and a male tortoise, both nearly 100 years old.

Mother turtle with four baby land turtles. CNN

The zoo stated in a press release, "We are very pleased that four baby tortoises were born for the first time in the zoo's history of over 150 years." Philadelphia Mayor Joel M. also expressed joy in a statement, saying, "The birth of the baby tortoises will be an important milestone in the zoo's history."

According to reports, the mother tortoise had her first offspring only after more than 90 years at the zoo. She became known as the oldest mother among the Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises.

The zoo plans to publicly reveal the four baby tortoises on the 23rd and hold a naming contest.

Meanwhile, the Galapagos tortoise is considered the largest land tortoise and is known as an internationally endangered species.