A giant Galapagos tortoise has turned 135 – and he’s also just become a father for the first time, says Miami Zoo officials.
Despite multiple breeding attempts throughout his lifetime, Goliath never successfully fathered any offspring. This all changed with a recent unexpected surprise.
After 128 days of incubation, one egg out of a clutch of eight that was laid on January 27 successfully hatched on June 4.
“The hatchling appears to be healthy and has been removed from the incubator and placed in a separate enclosure where it is active and full of energy,” the zoo said.
“Goliath” hatched on the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos on June 15, 1890, and later moved to the Bronx Zoo in July 1929. Ultimately, he settled at the Miami Zoo in July 1981.
Miami zoo officials are anticipating a possible world record and applied to the Guinness Book of World Records to get Goliath the recognition he deserves as “The oldest first-time father in history!”
“Not only is this the first offspring for Goliath, but it is also the first time in the history of Zoo Miami that a Galapagos tortoise has hatched, making this a historic event on multiple levels!” Miami Zoo said Friday.
Galapagos Tortoises can live for over 100 years in captivity, as research has found that they possess multiple gene variants linked to DNA repair, immune response, and cancer suppression.
The mother of the tortoise hatchling is also pushing record numbers, with an age between 85 and 100 years old. “Sweet Pea” arrived at the Crandon Park Zoo on Key Biscayne, Florida, as an adult in 1960.
The reptile pair share a combined age of over 200 and may qualify as “The oldest first-time parents in history,” the zoo said.
“Both Goliath and Sweet Pea are doing well in their public habitat and are not aware of their newly hatched offspring,” the statement added.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, a Seychelles giant tortoise is the oldest living tortoise, at 191 years of age. The tortoise, named Jonathan, lives on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena.
Miami Zoo said Goliath’s story was “an inspiration [for all] to never give up hope!”
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