Zoo Miami’s beloved elder, Goliath the Galapagos tortoise, just marked two milestones that would make any father proud: his 135th birthday and his very first Father’s Day, thanks to a tiny hatchling who cracked through its shell earlier this month.
The 517-pound giant, who has called the South Florida zoo home for more than four decades, became a dad for the first time on June 4. According to zoo officials, the hatchling is not just Goliath’s first, it’s also the first Galapagos tortoise ever successfully hatched at Zoo Miami.
135 Years Young And Finally A Father
The slow-moving but resilient Goliath hatched sometime between 1885 and 1890 on the island of Santa Cruz, one of the central islands in Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago. The archipelago, located in the Pacific Ocean near the equator, is famous for its biodiversity and critical role in shaping Darwin’s theory of evolution.
His long journey from the wild to the world of zoo conservation began in 1929 when he arrived at the Bronx Zoo. In 1981, he was transferred to Zoo Miami, where he’s since been a fixture in the zoo’s public habitat, captivating generations of visitors.
While Goliath has bred with several females over the years, none of those pairings produced offspring until now.
A Delicate Hatchling Makes History
On January 27, Sweet Pea, Goliath’s long-time companion who is estimated to be between 85 and 100 years old, laid a clutch of eight eggs. Zoo staff carefully incubated the eggs, hoping for a breakthrough.
Nearly five months later, one of them finally hatched, ushering in a new chapter for the zoo’s endangered species program.
Both Goliath and Sweet Pea are said to be thriving in their shared enclosure, while their tiny offspring is being closely monitored in a separate space. Like all wild Galapagos tortoises, the young one won’t be raised by its parents, but its birth is a beacon of hope for the species’ survival.
A Species Under Siege
Galapagos tortoises have faced centuries of peril. Their population was decimated in the 1800s by overhunting and habitat destruction caused by humans and invasive species. While conservation efforts have helped restore some populations, modern threats like climate change and continued habitat loss persist.
Zoo Miami’s success in breeding this species represents a small but meaningful victory.
A Shell-Shocking Reminder Of Resilience
Goliath’s story is one of endurance, patience, and now legacy. Living well past the age of most zoo animals, he continues to defy expectations.
And while he may lumber slowly through his exhibit, the impact of his first offspring is anything but small.
