HOUSTON — Valentine’s Day is a big "dill" at the Houston Zoo so it's time to shell-abrate! That's because it's the birthday of three critically endangered radiated tortoises.
The tiny tortoises went viral when they were born in 2023 because they're the offspring of 90-year-old Mr. Pickles, a first-time dad.
Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño have grown almost six times their original size and now weigh just under five ounces.
The birth of the adorable triplets came as a surprise last year. A herpetology keeper happened to see Mrs. Pickles as she was laying her eggs. Since the soil here isn't optimum for these tortoises, the eggs probably wouldn't have survived on their own.
The animal care team closely monitored the eggs for more than five months as they were cooled off to about 50 degrees to mimic what would happen in the wild. The eggs were later returned to room temperature and eventually placed in an 80-degree incubator before they successfully hatched on Feb. 14, 2023.
You can see the cute little Pickles triplets in their new home inside the zoo's Reptile and Amphibian House.
What is a radiated tortoise?
- The radiated tortoise is considered one of the world’s most beautiful.
- The carapace, or shell, is marked with yellow lines radiating from the center of each dark plate so that's where the name comes from.
- Radiated tortoises are native to southern Madagascar.
- They don't produce many offspring, which is one reason they're so endangered.
- The herbivores grow to a shell length of up to 16 inches and weigh up to 35 pounds.
A portion of each Houston Zoo membership and admission goes toward helping its partners in Madagascar replant wildlife habitats to save animals in the wild.