Peek-a-boo to the newest members of the Houston Zoo family, three darling Madagascar big-headed turtles.
Zoo officials gave CultureMap a first glimpse at the babes Monday.
The hatching process began in early March, when a physical examination of the zoo's adult Madagascar big-headed turtles showed two females had eggs. Those were placed in off-exhibit incubators at the Reptile House.
And on May 18 and 19, these three hatchlings made their grand entrance at about 6.8 grams each — just a bit larger than a U.S. quarter.
Houston Zoo visitors can currently see their older siblings who hatched in September 2012.
Madagascar big-headed turtles are ranked No. 16 on the world's most endangered turtles and tortoises list. The Houston Zoo is one of the few zoos in the world that is currently breeding them.
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One of the three Madagascar big-headed turtles that recently hatched at the Houston Zoo
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Photo by Leonid Furmansky
