135-Year-Old Tortoise Celebrates First Father’s Day

Goliath, a 517-pound Galapagos tortoise and the oldest animal at Zoo Miami, celebrated his 135th birthday and became a father for the first time, zoo officials announced in a post on Facebook.

Zoo Miami officials said they submitted an application to Guinness World Records to recognize Goliath as the world’s “Oldest First-Time Father,” and for Goliath and Sweet Pea as the “Oldest First-Time Parents.” Their combined ages total more than 200 years.

“Not only is this the first offspring for Goliath, but it is also the first time in the history of Zoo Miami that a Galapagos tortoise has hatched, making this an historic event on multiple levels!” the post read.

Why It Matters

The Galapagos tortoise is listed as endangered, with population numbers once drastically reduced by direct exploitation and habitat disruption. Modern threats of climate change and ongoing habitat loss contribute to conservation urgency.

Found natively in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, wild populations of the tortoise have suffered sharp declines because of human exploitation and invasive species introduction. The successful breeding of the species at Zoo Miami represents a significant win for conservation efforts in the United States.

What To Know

Goliath, who hatched on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos sometime between 1885 and 1890 according to varying official records, has resided in the U.S. since 1929 and at Zoo Miami since 1981. Although he has bred with several females, this is his first confirmed offspring in at least four decades of attempts, according to Zoo Miami.

The hatchling was born on June 4, 2025 after 128 days of incubation – the first of its species to be bred and hatched at the South Florida zoo, marking a milestone moment for conservation and the institution’s history, according to the post.

The clutch, laid by Goliath’s companion Sweet Pea on January 27, originally contained eight eggs but only one egg hatched successfully.

Sweet Pea is between 85 and 100 years old and has lived at Zoo Miami since 1960.

The parents live in a public habitat, while the energetic hatchling is monitored in a protected enclosure, the Zoo explained.

The oldest living tortoise known is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise living on St. Helena and estimated to be 191 years old, as noted by the Guinness Book of World Records.

What People Are Saying

Zoo Miami said in a post on Facebook: “Goliath is my hero, and I am sure he will soon be an inspiration to many others! He is living proof that where there is a will, there is a way and to never give up!”

What Happens Next

The hatchling will remain under care in a specially monitored enclosure at Zoo Miami. Meanwhile, the application for Goliath’s potential world record is under review by Guinness World Records.

Zoo officials will continue their breeding and conservation programs with a focus on sustaining endangered reptilian species.