Zoo Miami’s oldest animal, a 517-pound Galapagos tortoise named Goliath, is celebrating an extraordinary double milestone this Father’s Day: turning 135 years old and becoming a father for the first time.
Goliath’s first offspring hatched on June 4 after 128 days of incubation — marking not only his debut as a dad, but also the first time a Galapagos tortoise has ever hatched at Zoo Miami.
The hatchling emerged from a clutch of eight eggs laid on Jan. 27.
Goliath’s journey from the Galapagos to New York and Miami
According to official records, Goliath hatched on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos on June 15, 1890. He was transferred to the Bronx Zoo in 1929 and arrived at Zoo Miami in 1981. Despite previous breeding attempts with multiple females, he had never successfully sired a hatchling until now, according to Zoo Miami Communications Director Ron Magill.
The mother, Sweet Pea, is estimated to be between 85 and 100 years old. She arrived at the former Crandon Park Zoo on Key Biscayne in 1960. Together, the pair’s combined age surpasses 200 years — prompting Zoo Miami to apply for Guinness World Records recognition for both “The Oldest First-Time Father in History” and potentially “The Oldest First-Time Parents in History.”
First Galapagos tortoise hatches at Zoo Miami in historic event
While both Goliath and Sweet Pea remain in good health and are on display at their public habitat, they are unaware of the hatchling, in line with natural behavior. In the wild, Galapagos tortoise hatchlings receive no parental care after birth. The baby tortoise has been removed from the incubator and placed in a separate enclosure, where it is active and healthy, Magill said.
“This Father’s Day will be extra special at Zoo Miami as we not only celebrate Goliath’s birthday, but we also celebrate how the stars have finally aligned to make him a father for the first time in his amazing 135-year life,” Magill said in a press release. “He is an inspiration to never give up hope.”
