It's on the main site for the zoo. They are currently on exhibit in the Reptile House. I believe there are six of them, maybe seven. Thane Maynard mentions in a related video that patrons will be able to watch them grow up at the zoo. Makes me wonder where the adults will be housed, as there's no way that's possible in the current reptile building. Perhaps the old Komodo exhibit that currently houses giant anteaters? Maybe the Children's Zoo? They were kept there when this section opened twenty or so years ago, but I think it was just a loan. Anyway, a cool species that you don't see all that much. If they can make an outdoor summer yard like the one Louisville uses for their Aldabras, it will certainly be exciting. Well, as exciting as tortoises get anyway.
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincy Acquires Baby Galapagos Tortoises
- Thread starter groundskeeper24
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mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
Here is the video from youtube:
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Thanks, man!
Buckeye092
Well-Known Member
When did they hatch and what zoo/facility are they from?
taun
Well-Known Member
It says on the video they were hatched in 2008.
tigertiger
Well-Known Member
This is exciting--I can't wait to see them next weekend.
It is exciting yes ..., but it is incorrect to assume they were hatched at Cincinnati Zoo. These are from the G. microphyes Volcan Darwin, Isabela species and hatched at Brownsville Zoo (where incidentally the only continuous pure-bred colony exists in the US).
Quite recently, also Philadelphia Zoo hatched some Galapagos tortoises ... I am yet to find out what species (allthough they maintain 0.2 G. nigrita (porteri) from Santa Cruz, but no male ..., so are these pure-bred).
Pure-bred ... why so important ....? It is because all Galapagos tortoises represent distinct genetic lineages and these should be preserved intact. In the past too much emphasis was placed upon just dumping Galapagos of different species in a single exhibit (in the hope that they might breed). Well, all species have evolved separately and hence there is little chance of them hybridising (allthough it may still happen in the close proximity of captivity, but that is just as natural as tigon hybrids or what) ....!!!
I have been out on limb to get to the bottom why so many Galapagos are yet undesignated to species-level in captivity (whereas a project does exist to get to the bottom of this and they have singled out most individuals to species-level nowadays in the US). I will keep trying with the coordinator in the hope he may respond.
What I do find really tragic is that the Galapagos/Darwin Foundation in Ecuador is not too keen on cooperating with zoos in species management and breeding programmes. For fear of introducing disease in the various populations ....!!! Fair issue if one intends to relocate back to the wild, but when some species are down to several 0.3 individuals and opportunity to make up breeding group if 2.0 males were loaned out from the Galapagos G. vicina group, that would be rather awesome.
On ISIS in the US you will only find 5 species: G. guntheri, G. microphyes, G. nigrita (the only outside Isabela island), G. vandenburghi and G. vicina. This is historically so, as most Galapagos were collected only from Isabela by various expeditions (including the Townsend).
K.B.
Quite recently, also Philadelphia Zoo hatched some Galapagos tortoises ... I am yet to find out what species (allthough they maintain 0.2 G. nigrita (porteri) from Santa Cruz, but no male ..., so are these pure-bred).
Pure-bred ... why so important ....? It is because all Galapagos tortoises represent distinct genetic lineages and these should be preserved intact. In the past too much emphasis was placed upon just dumping Galapagos of different species in a single exhibit (in the hope that they might breed). Well, all species have evolved separately and hence there is little chance of them hybridising (allthough it may still happen in the close proximity of captivity, but that is just as natural as tigon hybrids or what) ....!!!
I have been out on limb to get to the bottom why so many Galapagos are yet undesignated to species-level in captivity (whereas a project does exist to get to the bottom of this and they have singled out most individuals to species-level nowadays in the US). I will keep trying with the coordinator in the hope he may respond.
What I do find really tragic is that the Galapagos/Darwin Foundation in Ecuador is not too keen on cooperating with zoos in species management and breeding programmes. For fear of introducing disease in the various populations ....!!! Fair issue if one intends to relocate back to the wild, but when some species are down to several 0.3 individuals and opportunity to make up breeding group if 2.0 males were loaned out from the Galapagos G. vicina group, that would be rather awesome.
On ISIS in the US you will only find 5 species: G. guntheri, G. microphyes, G. nigrita (the only outside Isabela island), G. vandenburghi and G. vicina. This is historically so, as most Galapagos were collected only from Isabela by various expeditions (including the Townsend).
K.B.