“The cubs may have a long life ahead.”, – WRITE: www.unian.ua
The cubs may have a long life ahead.
Zoo introduced four daughters tortoise / screenshotFour curtains of endangered turtles have made their debut at the Philadelphia zoo as the first cubs of their 100-year-old mother.
According to Live Science, Mummy, the Western Santa Cruzh Turtle of Galapago Islands, she got into the headlines of international news earlier this month, becoming the oldest mom of her species, who became her mother for the first time. The exact age of the mother is unknown, but she is about 100 years old, and she spent more than 90 of them at the zoo.
Interestingly, new cubs mark the first time when the Philadelphia Zoo breeds the Western turtles of Santa Cruz Galapago Islands over its more than 150-year history. The Western Santa Cruz turtles of the Galapagos Islands are endangered in their homeland, and in the US zoos are less than 50.
The zoo presented four daughters and the press was linen to get photos and videos of new star attractions. On Wednesday, the 93rd anniversary of the mother’s arrival at the zoo was also celebrated.
It is noted that the Galapaga turtles of Western Santa Cruz is a subspecies of the Galapaga turtle, which is the largest type of turtles on the ground. Males, as a rule, are larger than females, can reach about 1.8 meters long and about 260 kilograms.
Human activity has led to the extinction of several types of Galapaga turtles, while the Western Galapaga turtles of Santa Cruz have only a few thousand. Turtles have historically suffered from hunting for meat, and their ecosystem was broken by invasive species, including predators, such as cats and rats that hunt young turtles and their eggs.
New Momsi Cubs are part of the captive breeding program in US zoos to help protect the Western Galapaga Turtles of Santa Cruz. Since it has never been multiplied before, it was the first time it has transmitted its genes, helping maintaining the genetic diversity and health of the population in captivity. Zoo representative said:
“These latest additions are a new genetic line and the essential assistance of the population of this critically endangered species under the care of a person.”
Researchers do not know the maximum life expectancy of Galapaga turtles, but one person who reached the age of 171 was registered. After the turtles reach maturity, they usually remain reproductive for the rest of their lives and can continue to multiply until old age.
News about turtlesIn the National Nature Park “Tuzlovsky estuaries” noticed a rare reptile – a European swampy turtle. Dr. Biological Sciences, Park employee Ivan Rusev, who also published the appropriate video.
He added that this rare creature is listed in the Red List of the International Union of Nature Conservation.
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