It was one of two tortoises born last month at the Tropiquarium in the town of Servion as part of a programme to preserve the endangered species.
One is black like its parents and the other is albino. Their gender has yet to be determined.
“This is the first time in the world that an albino Galapagos tortoise has been born and kept in captivity. No albino individuals have ever been observed in the wild,” the zoo said in a statementExternal link on Thursday.
The mother, who weighs more than 100kg, laid five eggs on February 11 and the albino baby hatched on May 1. The other baby hatched on May 5 after the eggs spent two-and-a-half months in an incubator.
The male weighs around 180kg. The pair are about 30 years old and have just reached sexual maturity.
The success rate of mating is only around 2%-3% for this species. Baby turtles weigh about 50g at birth and fit in the palm of the hand.
Albinism is rare in tortoises – one out of 100,000 individuals – compared with one in 20,000 for humans, the zoo said.
Popular Stories
More
Banking & Fintech
UBS releases ‘hundreds’ of staff in fresh wave of job cuts
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
This content was published on
The parents of the young jihadist who left for Syria to join the Islamic State have been given suspended sentences by the Federal Criminal Court.
This content was published on
Felix Lehner, Pamela Rosenkranz and Miroslav Sik have been awarded the Swiss Grand Award for Art/Prix Meret Oppenheim 2025.
Nearly 2% of new Swiss disability insurance claims involve Long Covid
This content was published on
Just under 2% of new claims submitted to the disability insurance between 2021 and 2023 concern people suffering from Long Covid.
This content was published on
The watch industry had to contend with a weakening of its exports last year, which reached a volume of CHF25.9 billion ($28.5 billion).
This content was published on
A robotic arm inspired by an elephant’s trunk? It doesn’t exist yet, but it is the subject of an unlikely Swiss-Italian scientific collaboration.
This content was published on
Methods of keeping animals in Swiss zoos continue to improve. But while some are considered exemplary, others need to up their game.
This content was published on
Zoos may be closed in Switzerland, but that doesn’t stop children at home from learning how the animals live and behave behind closed gates.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.