Tortoise hatchlings of century-old parents come out of their shells at US zoo

Sixteen critically endangered tortoises born to some very old parents got the red carpet treatment at a US zoo event to show off the highly prized hatchlings.

The pampered tortoises were born in a series of hatches this year to Mommy and Abrazzo, a couple estimated to both be around 100-years-old, at Philadelphia Zoo.

“Now this animal, who’s been in Philadelphia since 1932, will be represented here for, hopefully, another 100 years because her offspring are now part of our collection,” said Lauren Augustine, the zoo’s director of herpetology.

Four females that hatched early this spring were named after characters in the TV show Golden Girls.

Three males were hatched in April, and that was followed by Mommy’s second clutch, which resulted in three females in June and six males this summer.

Mommy and Abrazzo are the Philadelphia Zoo’s oldest inhabitants and seen as highly genetically valuable for the survival of the species.

Their offspring are considered a win in the effort to preserve western Santa Cruz tortoises.

They are expected to remain at the zoo for at least a year before being placed in different facilities next fall.

The largest species of tortoise, they are thought to live as long as 200 years.

The zoo is soliciting donors to suggest names for one of the hatchlings, a male, subject to zoo approval.

Others are named Zee, James, Colette, Soledad, Isabelle, Roger, Fausto, Caldero, Lee, Marigold Puddlefoot and Kelpy.

Philadelphia Zoo also has two giant Aldabra tortoises, Wilma and Betty.

A 135-year-old Galapagos tortoise named Goliath became a father for the first time at Zoo Miami in June.