Wild Wednesday: First Baby Tortoises Born at Tulsa Zoo in 7 Years

The Aldabra tortoise herd at the Tulsa Zoo is growing with the recent hatchings of seven baby tortoises. The first came on Mother's Day marking a milestone for the Herps & Aquatics Department. "We have baby Aldabra tortoises for the first time in 7 years," said zookeeper Justice Dickson. "We actually have one more egg, hopefully, that will hatch here soon."

Caring for Baby Aldabra Tortoises

The babies are being kept behind the scenes at the Tulsa Zoo, for now, so zookeepers can watch their progress. "Each week we weigh them, we soak them about 3 times a week, and then they eat everyday," said Dickson.

Like most reptiles, Aldabra tortoises do not care for their young, so they have to learn to eat, drink, and move on their own. "Once the eggs are laid in the sand the mom walks away and she never takes care of them again, so these guys really come out with those instincts of survival," added Dickson.

Herbivore Diet

Aldabra tortoises are herbivores. "They eat vegetables, greens, grass, they get a little bit of sweet potato, and they get a little bit of fruit," said Dickson.

Since the babies weigh less than a pound, zookeepers have to chop their food up very small.

Growth Takes Time

The oldest resident at the Tulsa Zoo is Big Al, one of the Aldabra tortoises. Despite his name, he is not the biggest of the males in the herd. "Our biggest, Mo, is 450 pounds," said Dickson.

Both are over a hundred years old, but it only takes a quarter of that for a baby tortoise to become full grown. "After 25 years, some of these guys will be just that big and maybe even bigger," said Dickson.

Girls Summer Getaway

Zookeepers said it is unclear yet which of the female tortoises laid the clutch of eggs that produced offspring. Once the babies are old enough they will do genetic DNA testing to find out. However, the zoo does credit a seasonal break from the male tortoises for the breeding success.

"It is kind of like a girls only vacation," Dickson continued saying, "This is a natural separation period that they do typically in the wild. They really only come together to breed, so we simulate that here as well, and that has caused us to have major success with breeding them."

The females will spend the summer behind the scenes in a grassy yard with a large shade tree, a loafing shed, and a mud wallow. They will rejoin the males in the main exhibit in the fall.