Source: The Denver Post
The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) celebrated the successful hatching of its first-ever African pancake tortoise last month, marking a major milestone in its conservation efforts. The hatchling joins four other pancake tortoises in the zoo’s habitat, including her mother, Waffles, and three males named Short-Stack, Denny, and Flapjack.
African pancake tortoises are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to declining wild populations. The birth represents the zoo’s first successful breeding and hatching of this species. Zookeepers discovered the egg in December within the tortoise habitat and carefully moved it to the Tropical Discovery building for incubation. After six months of care, the baby tortoise hatched on May 23.
Though small, zoo officials highlighted the hatchling’s significant role in species conservation, emphasizing the importance of such efforts in protecting endangered animals. The zoo shared the announcement and updates via Facebook.
Read the full story HERE: https://www.denverpost.com/2025/06/11/denver-zoo-baby-african-pancake-tortoise-critically-endangered/