- At the beginning of May, two little Galapagos giant tortoises were born at the Servion Zoo in Vaud.
- One is black like her parents, the other white: she is an albino, which has never before been observed in captivity or in the wild.
The turtles were born as part of a conservation program, said Philippe Morel, director of the tropiquarium belonging to Zoo Servion. Because of their size and weight, the mating success rate is very low.
In this species, the birth of an albino baby, lacking pigmentation of the skin and eyes, is a world first.
Very UV sensitive
The eggs were laid on February 11th. After that, the keepers collected them and placed them in an incubator for two and a half months. Both are perfectly healthy, that’s “fabulous,” enthused Morel.
Both are fit as a fiddle, that’s fabulous.
The Galapagos giant tortoise can live up to 200 years and weigh 300 kilograms. Albinos do not have a long lifespan in the wild because they are extremely UV-sensitive. The albino turtle should live in Servion in a suitable enclosure, away from direct sunlight.