Hugo The Galapagos Tortoise Set To Get German Mail-Order Girlfriend

The Australian Reptile Park’s resident Galapagos Tortoise is getting a girlfriend after almost seven decades of living the single life.

It was revealed that Hugo, the 70-year-old, 181kg tortoise residing at the Somersby park, is set to be meeting his 21-year-old girlfriend, Estrella, in the coming months.

The pair were originally set to meet in 2019 but plans were put on hold due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Estrella, who is currently in quarantine after being flown over from Germany, will be the first Galapagos Tortoise to arrive in Australia in more than forty years.

The Galapagos are the largest species of tortoise around, weighing up to 417 kilograms. Not only are they large, but their life expectancy is well over 100 years, which also makes them the longest-living vertebrate on the planet.

The team at the Reptile Park are hopeful that the duo will mate and eventually procreate.

“I can’t wait to meet her myself and get to know her personality. If all goes well, within the next few years we might have some baby Galapagos tortoises”, said the Park’s Head of Reptiles, Daniel Rumsey.

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