As I scroll through the news website, I can’t help but notice that some of the articles are sad. In a world where all news is at the tip of our fingers, we are often met with stories that lead us down a rabbit hole of hopelessness in the world. 

This article is not one of those. This is the story of Mr. Pickles.

90 years ago, a radiated tortoise was born.

Mr. Pickles currently lives at the Houston Zoo, and just became the father of three baby tortoises. 

According to the New York Times, this birth was extremely rare as radiated tortoises don’t reproduce often. Scientists don’t know how long radiated tortoises can reproduce. 

The babies might not have survived if not for a zookeeper who saw Mr. Pickles’ wife, Mrs. Pickles, laying the eggs. 

The eggs were quickly moved to the Reptile and Amphibian house, which was better suited to care for the eggs. 

It took five months of close monitoring, but soon the eggs hatched. The offspring’s names are Gherkin, Dill, and Jalapeño. 

Radiated tortoises are an endangered species, yet they continue to be sold on the black market or eaten. 

Hopefully, the birth of Gherkin, Dill, and Jalapeño will bring awareness to radiated tortoises and will help stop the species from being extinct.

I hope that the ballad of Mr. Pickles has spread joy into your life. Share this story with others so that Mr. Pickles can bring sunshine into as many people’s lives as possible.