Congratulations are in order for new radiated tortoise parents Mr. and Mrs. Pickles, who live at the Houston Zoo. First time dad Mr. Pickles is 90 years old. He and Mrs. Pickles, who is 53, have been hanging around together since 1996 when Mrs. Pickles arrived at Houston Zoo. They are the proud new parents of three hatchlings, appropriately named Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño. NPR.org explains:
The births are a "big dill," says the zoo, because the radiated tortoise, native to Madagascar, is a critically endangered species whose numbers are in decline.
Radiated tortoises produce few offspring, according to zoo officials, and the species suffers from over-collection for illegal sales on the black market. Captive breeding programs have produced new radiated tortoises, but experts say the reptiles may go extinct in the wild.
To learn more about this exciting event, read the rest of the story here. And here's a short video all about radiated tortoises, courtesy of Garden State Tortoise.
