Knoxville Zoo says they have hatched a spider tortoise

The Knoxville Zoo says it has become the first U.S. zoo to successfully breed Northern spider tortoises, a subspecies so rare they can no longer be exported from their native Madagascar off Africa's southeastern coast.

The first young tortoise hatched Dec. 23, and at 18 grams and an inch long is thriving. A second hatched Friday and five more eggs were in incubation.

They are the result of a courtship between a male acquired in 2004 and two females obtained in 1999 and 2005. There are only 12 adult males and 11 adult females in captivity in the United States at four zoos.
(photo credit)