Brevard Zoo Welcomes Three New Galapagos Tortoises at the Kangaroo Walkabout
By Space Coast Daily // September 3, 2024
three newest residents of the Kangaroo Walkabout in Lands of Change area
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Take some time to slowwww down and peek at our three newest residents of the Kangaroo Walkabout in our Lands of Change area. We’ve welcomed three male Galapagos tortoises!
The three male tortoises come to us from a fellow organization accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). While they are siblings, they are different ages: two are 6 years old and the eldest is 7 years old. Fun fact: Their sire is alive and 95 years old!
The trio spent their initial few weeks in quarantine at our Zoo before being cleared and moved temporarily to a separate (but still visible!) habitat within the Kangaroo Walkabout.
Our animal care team will monitor them and the rest of our Walkabout residents before deciding on a time for further introductions. They’re also getting to know the trio a little better before deciding on names.
In their time in quarantine, the “torts” have left quite an impression on their animal care team!
“They’re going to be absolute stars in the kangaroo yard!” said Shelby Orth, our animal registrar and quarantine keeper.
All three are very food motivated, but the eldest is usually the first to any fresh browse with the other two close behind. The tortoises follow people around – especially if they have food.
A fun little quirk that leads to some funny moments with them is that they all have no concept of walking around things. They’ll walk through their bowls or partially on top of each other to get where they’re going rather than take a tiny detour around whatever object is in their path!
The trio are technically Western Santa Cruz giant tortoises, a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. This species is critically endangered. Once hunted by sailors, the tortoise is protected from hunting. However, newly introduced predators to the island, like dogs, cats and rats, eat the tortoise’s eggs and livestock compete for food.
Our Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan, which ensures healthy safeguard populations of animals within AZA-accredited organizations.
Bringing the trio to our Zoo makes it possible for their parents to breed again.
