Today, tomorrow, learn English naturally. 天天自然学英语
Oldest tortoise at Houston Zoo becomes father to 3 hatchlings
Hatchlings are significant for radiated tortoise genetics as their 90-year-old dad is the most genetically valuable of this species in the AZA's SSP
The Houston Zoo recently announced that, Mr. Pickles, the zoo’s oldest animal at 90-years-old, is the newest father to 3 radiated tortoises. Their names remain on theme, and are Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño.
According to an organizational release,1 these hatchlings are significant for radiated tortoise genetics as their father, Mr. Pickles, is the most genetically valuable radiated tortoise in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. While Mr. Pickles has been at the Houston Zoo for 36 years, he has been with his companion, Mrs. Pickles, since her arrival in 1996. The duo has had one other baby tortoise in 1997.
These tortoises came as a surprise when a herpetology keeper discovered Mrs. Pickles laying eggs around closing time. The animal care team uncovered the eggs and put them safely in the Reptile & Amphibian House. Houston soil isn’t welcoming to Madagascar native tortoises, so fortunately the keepers were there because the eggs likely wouldn’t have hatched on their own.
Radiated tortoises are critically endangered due to over-collection from the illegal pet trade, and they typically produce few offspring.1 Visitors at the zoo help contribute to saving wild animals in Madagascar as a portion of each membership and admission goes to helping the zoo’s partners in Madagascar replant wildlife habitats.
The trio of new hatchlings will remain behind the scenes in the Reptile & Amphibian House until they reach the size to safely join their parents.
注释：
Hatchling: n
表示"刚孵化的小动物"，means "any recently hatched animal (especially birds)"，如： Mother carried hatchling to water, urges them to swim. 妈妈携带刚孵化的幼仔到水边，敦促他们下水。
herpetology: n
表示" 爬虫学"，means "the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians"，如： He took up herpetology at the age of fifty. 他50岁时开始从事爬虫学。
dill: n
表示" 莳萝；小茴香"，means "aromatic Old World herb having aromatic threadlike foliage and seeds used as seasoning"，如： Coming out of a cave,I saw a dill. 从洞口出来，我看到一棵莳萝草。
gherkin: n
表示" 腌食用小黄瓜"，means "any of various small cucumbers pickled whole"，如： Cabbage, gherkin, ham and many types of fish is salted for preservation. 卷心菜、小黄瓜、火腿及多种鱼类均可腌制保存。
Jalapeño: n
表示" 墨西哥胡椒"，means "lant bearing very hot and finely tapering long peppers; usually red"，如： Oh,please tell me at least have the saffron corn with jalapeno honey butter. 噢;请告诉我至少有撒着墨西哥胡椒和蜂蜜黄油的金黄璀璨的玉米.
中文简要说明：
美国休斯敦动物园近日传出喜讯，有一只射纹陆龟当爸爸了，不过这只射纹陆龟是全园最年长的成员，今年高寿90岁，真可谓老当益壮。这种陆龟是地球濒临灭绝的物种之一，此番老龟生小龟，全园工作人员都很高兴。
美国地方媒体近日报导，休斯敦动物园（Houston Zoo）公布了这项足堪称为「惊喜」的大消息，90岁的射纹陆龟「酸黄瓜先生」（Mr. Pickles）入园至今已36年，1996年迎来它的夫人「酸黄瓜太太」（Mrs. Pickles）。这对射纹陆龟不是没生过孩子，但那是1997年的事情了，而且当时才生了1只，此后一直没有好消息。时隔26年，这对老夫老妻终于又生了3个宝宝。
射纹陆龟（radiated tortoise）原产地在非洲马达加斯加，由于违法捕猎造成世人收集热潮，加上它们每次下蛋数量很少，族群数量大减，已列濒临灭绝物种。
园方说，这次「酸黄瓜夫妇」生小龟让工作人员大感意外，直到日前某天闭馆时段爬虫类保育员发现酸黄瓜太太正在生蛋，在此之前没人注意到两龟有什么动静。由于休斯敦的土壤不太适合射纹陆龟生存，龟蛋留在原地恐难孵化，所幸工作人员及时发现，把母龟生的蛋移到爬虫两栖馆内的安全地点，终于盼来3只小龟出世。
园方解释，这次酸黄瓜先生传宗接代成功的意义十分重大，因为它是美国「动物园与水族馆物种生存协会」（Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan）列为遗传层面最具价值的一只射纹陆龟。
3只小龟取名「莳萝」（Dill）、「拇指小黄瓜」（Gherkin）与「墨西哥辣椒」（Jalapeño），这些名字全都是可用于腌渍的食材。小家伙们现仍由饲育员照顾，等它们长大一些了才会与爸妈一同亮相。
留言微信公众号《自然学英语LearnNaturally》，可咨询更多: