Goliath comes out of his shell to be world's oldest father at 135 [View all]

The Galapagos tortoise, who lives at Zoo Miami with his girlfriend Sweet Pea, has mated with several females but never sired offspring — until now

https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/goliath-comes-out-of-his-shell-to-be-worlds-oldest-father-at-135-gtgszf0tb

https://archive.ph/2yhYM



At the ripe old age of 135, it may have seemed that Goliath — a Galapagos tortoise at Zoo Miami — would be happy to mark his birthday with just a nap, a slow stroll and an extra helping of salad. Instead, the ancient reptile celebrated an accomplishment that had evaded him through two world wars, 25 US presidencies and several million lettuce leaves: fatherhood. His minders have recommended Goliath for a world record as the oldest first-time father and, with his girlfriend Sweet Pea — estimated to be aged between 85 and 100 — the world’s oldest first-time parents.

“He is an inspiration to never give up hope,” said Ron Magill, the zoo’s communications director. “He is living proof that where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Goliath, who weighs 234kg (517lb) has mated with several females during his lifetime, but never sired offspring until this year. Sweet Pea laid a clutch of eight eggs in January and, after 128 days of incubation, one of them hatched. Goliath has met his baby only briefly, for a photo opportunity.



“Both Goliath and Sweet Pea are doing well on their public habitat and are not aware of their newly hatched offspring. In the wild, hatchlings are on their own from the moment they emerge from the egg and the parents have no further connection to them,” Magill said. “The hatchling appears to be healthy and has been removed from the incubator and placed in a separate enclosure, where it is active and full of energy.”

Goliath hatched on June 15, 1890, on Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands. He is the oldest living animal at Zoo Miami and his offspring is the first of its species to hatch there. He arrived at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 1929, moved to Miami in 1981 and was joined by Sweet Pea in 1960.

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