Tortoise hatchling excites keepers at Calgary zoo

Calgary zoo unveils baby tortoise The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo welcomed a tiny Egyptian tortoise in early July, a big step in conservation of the threatened species.

While the result may fit in the palm of your hand, zoo officials in Calgary say the addition of a new Egyptian tortoise is inspiring action for wildlife conservation.

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said it welcomed a new tortoise on July 8, which hatched from a clutch of two eggs laid by the facility's 13-year-old tortoise Alexandria.

"With Egyptian tortoises being critically endangered in the wild, our support in helping them successfully produce offspring, while raising awareness about their conservation status, is vital for their survival," said the zoo's animal care supervisor Mona Keith.

Staff say the hatchling, which weighed 7.4 grams at first, is living in its own habitat and will remain behind the scenes until it's big and strong enough to go on public display.

As for the other egg, keepers are monitoring it closely and are "cautiously optimistic" another hatchling will emerge.

Officials say Egyptian tortoise eggs have an incubation period between 70 and 126 days and the second egg remains in an incubator, where the temperature can be regulated.

Full grown Egyptian tortoises are small and often mistaken for baby tortoises, officials said.

"On average, adults grow to four to four-and-a-half inches long, weighing between 156 and 354 grams, with females tending to be slightly larger than males," the zoo said.

While it will be some time before the new tortoise is put on display, the zoo invites guests to visit the rest of its tortoises, called a "creep," inside the African Savannah building.