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Rare albino Galápagos giant tortoise makes public debut at zoo in Switzerland

The hatchling is the first albino Galápagos giant tortoise ever recorded. (Reuters: Denis Balibouse)

A rare albino Galápagos giant tortoise has made its public debut at a Swiss zoo.

Two of the tortoises were born last month at the Tropiquarium in the western town of Servion as part of a programme to preserve the endangered species.

One is black like its parents while the other is albino.

Their gender has yet to be determined.

"No albino individuals have ever been observed in the wild."

The mother, who weighs more than 100 kilograms, laid five eggs on February 11 and the albino baby hatched on May 1.

The albino baby's sibling was black like their parents.  (Reuters: Denis Balibouse)

The other baby hatched on May 5 after the eggs spent two and a half months in an incubator.

The father weighs around 180kg, while baby turtles weigh about 50 grams at birth and fit in the palm of the hand.

The mating pair are about 30 years old and have just reached sexual maturity.

The success rate of mating is only around 2 per cent to 3 per cent for this species.

ABC/wires

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