A nearly 100-year-old tortoise makes history: she became a mother for the first time, having 16 babies!

A Galapagos tortoise that had left no offspring throughout its nearly century-long life has finally become a mother. The tortoise named "Mommi" gave birth to 16 babies, becoming one of the oldest maternal individuals of her species.

Mommi, a Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise, has been living at the Philadelphia Zoo since 1932. At nearly 100 years old, the tortoise had not reproduced for over 90 years.

However, a significant change occurred in her life in 2020. Mommi was paired with another nearly 100-year-old tortoise, Abrazzo. Specialists closely monitored Mommi's egg-laying process and created the necessary conditions for her. As a result, she laid her first fertile eggs.

By the summer of 2025, 16 baby tortoises successfully hatched.

This event is of great importance not only for the zoo, but also for species conservation programs as a whole.

Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises are considered one of the endangered species. Mommi's offspring were not present in the population within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' breeding program prior to the arrival of this lineage.