Mr Pickles, a 90-year-old endangered radiated tortoise, has become a father of three offspring at the Houston zoo in the United States. The turtle and his partner, Mrs Pickles, welcomed three hatchlings named Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño respectively.
The zoo staff had been monitoring the tortoise couple since they first mated in 2020, as radiated tortoises are an endangered species and breeding programs play an important role in their conservation. Mr Pickles and Mrs Pickles have been at the zoo for over 10 years and were selected as breeding partners because of their advanced age and history of successful breeding in the past.
The zookeepers are thrilled with the new additions and hope that they will be able to contribute to the breeding program for radiated tortoises.
Radiated tortoises are native to Madagascar and are known for their unique shell pattern, which is said to resemble the sun’s rays. They are listed as critically endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.
The Houston zoo is one of the institutions that participates in the Radiated Tortoise Species Survival Plan, a collaborative breeding and conservation program aimed at protecting the species.
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