At The Tender Age Of 80, She Has Just Given Birth To Nine Babies

She must be one of the oldest young mothers on the planet.

Last month, Nigrita, an 80-year-old Galapagos Giant Tortoise gave birth to nine babies at the Zurich Zoo, in Switzerland.

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Having arrived at the zoo in 1946, it's the first time that she has chosen Jumbo, a male tortoise almost 30 years her junior, for a partner.

The eggs were laid last autumn and kept in an incubator until they hatched.

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Robert Zingg, in charge of the zoo, told NBC News:

Nigrita is our oldest animal at the zoo, but she is probably in her best years to lay eggs.

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Galapagos tortoises usually start to lay eggs from the age of about 40. But their life expectancy defies belief: they can live up to the age of 150, and sometimes even 200 years.

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Of course, this means that Nigrita's children could survive to see the 23rd century! It's enough to make you feel old.If you areparticularly interested in this story, check out the Turtle Conservancywebpage. You can make a donationtowards the cost ofconservation to ensure that turtles like Nigrita and her children continue to have a happy life.