A Nearly 100-Year-Old Tortoise Becomes a First-Time Mom of 16 Hatchlings

At an age when most animals have long since slowed down, a Galapagos tortoise named Mommy has done something extraordinary: become a mother for the very first time. At nearly a hundred years old, Mommy is the oldest known resident of Philadelphia Zoo, and together with her similarly ancient mate, Abrazzo, she has now produced 16 hatchlings — making her the oldest first-time mother ever recorded for her species.

The latest milestone came when nine more critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises hatched, joining an earlier group to bring the total clutch to 16 tiny tortoises. It is only the second time this species has ever hatched at the zoo in its more than 150-year history, a reminder of just how rare and difficult such successes can be. Each hatchling is a fraction of the size of its colossal parents, who can live well over a century and grow to enormous proportions.

“At nearly a hundred years old, Mommy is the oldest known resident of Philadelphia Zoo, and together with her similarly ancient mate, Abrazzo, she has now produced 16 hatchlings — making her the oldest first-time mother ever recorded for her species.”

For a critically endangered species, the arrival of so many healthy youngsters carries weight far beyond the cuteness of the new arrivals. Including these hatchlings, there are now 60 Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises in the managed population overseen by accredited zoos. Because Mommy and Abrazzo had never before reproduced, their offspring inject genuinely valuable new genetic diversity into that small population, strengthening the long-term prospects of a species threatened by habitat loss and invasive predators.

“The story of Mommy, Abrazzo and their now 16 babies has captured imaginations” around the world, said Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman, the zoo’s president and CEO, framing the births as part of the institution’s mission to help ensure a healthy planet for future generations. As the hatchlings grow, some will eventually move to other facilities to keep building the species’ insurance population. For a giant tortoise that has watched a century pass, motherhood at last is a charming and meaningful chapter — and a quiet act of hope for one of the world’s most iconic reptiles.