Photo: Two flat-tail Madagascar tortoises are shown here in a file photo from the Knoxville Zoo taken in August 2003 in Knoxville, Tenn. The tortoise on the left was hatched in May 2002 and now measures 3 inches long, the other tortoise hatched Aug. 10 and is 1 1/2 inches long. Knoxville is the only zoo in the United States to successfully hatch one of the rare and endangered tortoises. (AP Photo/Knoxville Zoo)
THE TENNESSEAN (Nashville, Tennessee) 29 August 03 Knoxville Zoo successfully hatches second Madagascar tortoise
Knoxville (AP): A second flat-tail Madagascar tortoise has hatched at the Knoxville Zoo, the only zoo in the United States to successfully breed the species.
The tortoise egg was laid on Dec. 6 and hatched Aug. 10, zoo spokesman William Becker said yesterday. The baby is 1˝ inches long.
The zoo now has a total of 10 Madagascar tortoises, which have yellow-and-black striped shells.
The first baby hatched in May 2002 from an egg laid by a tortoise the zoo received in a cooperative program in 1993. It now measures 3 inches long.
Herpetologists do not know the sex of either baby tortoise and likely will not be able to until the animals mature in 12 to 14 years.
The Madagascar species is critically endangered due to habitat destruction and collection for pet trade.
Knoxville Zoo successfully hatches second Madagascar tortoise
