A pair of critically endangered, nearly 100-year-old Galapagos tortoises at the Philadelphia Zoo have become first-time parents.

The first of the four hatchlings, all female, began to emerge from its white, hard-shelled egg on Feb. 27, the zoo said. The four hatchlings are part of a clutch of 16 eggs Mommy laid back in November 2024, and the zoo's animal care team is continuing to monitor additional eggs that may hatch in upcoming weeks.