Start Date: Aug 2, 2025
End Date: Aug 2, 2025
From: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Come Celebrate the Re-Opening of our Galápagos Tortoise Exhibit and wish Mr. Potatohead a Beautiful 75th Birthday!

WHERE: Galápagos Tortoise Exhibit (next to Penguins)

Guests will enjoy cake, giveaways, and coloring activities as Mr. Potatohead enjoys a special fruit cake made from his favorite fruit: Watermelon!  

This habitat space is designed for year-round comfort and includes a spacious outdoor yard, an outdoor pool, and a climate-controlled enclosure with three separate spaces for future tortoises.

The exhibit is home to Mr. Potatohead. He came to the El Paso Zoo in 1991 and has fathered seven offspring during his lifetime. He is our oldest animal resident. Mr. Potatohead is a Volcán Alcedo giant tortoise from the Alcedo Volcano central part of Isabela Island, which forms part of the Galápagos Islands. He weighs more than 600 pounds.

Fortnight, our other Galápagos tortoise, is a Volcán Darwin giant tortoise. His counterparts are found on the south-western slope of the Darwin Volcano on the northern part of Isabela Island. Fortnight is only 9 years old! He is still a juvenile and has a lot more growing to do.  

Depending on the species, tortoises can enjoy a lifespan of up to 150 years, although they have a better chance of doing so in human care.