HOUSTON — Ninety-year-old Mr. Pickles, a resident of the Houston Zoo, is officially a father.

The radiated tortoise, which is native to Madagascar, recenlty became a father of three. The offspring are named Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño.

Mr. Pickles is the oldest animal at the Houston Zoo, and having offspring is a big deal to his species. He is the most genetically valuable radiated tortoise in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium Species Survival Plan. He’s been residing at the Houston Zoo for the last 36 years, and has been with his companion, Mrs. Pickles, since 1996.

The Pickles hatchlings came as a surprise as a herpetology keeper happened to see Mrs. Pickles laying her eggs at closing time. As the Houston soil is not hospitable to the Madagascar native species, the zoo says it is unlikely the baby tortoises would have hatched on their own if the keeper wasn’t there at the right place and right time. 

Radiated tortoises are critically endangered and are known to produce few offspring. Houston Zoo says every visit to the zoo goes toward helping their partners in Madagascar replant wildlife habitats to save the animals there. 

The new baby Pickles will be behind the scenes at the Reptile and Amphibian House until they are big enough to safely join their parents.