Meet Diego, the 100-year-old Galapagos tortoise who’s nothing short of a legend. Over the course of his long life, Diego has fathered an incredible 800 offspring, helping to save his species from the brink of extinction. Without him, the Hood Island giant tortoise might have been lost forever.
It all started on the Galápagos Islands, where the Hood Island tortoises were nearly wiped out. In fact, there were so few left that scientists feared the species would vanish. Then, Diego entered the picture. His reputation for “love for reproduction” became famous after biologists discovered him at the San Diego Zoo. With the species hanging on by a thread, Diego was entrusted with an important mission: keep the Hood Island tortoises alive.
And boy, did he deliver. Diego didn’t just meet expectations—he exceeded them, fathering 800 babies and reviving his species. Thanks to his efforts, there’s now a program dedicated to saving the Hood Island giant tortoises. As part of this program, 2,000 new tortoises were released into the wild. The best part? 40% of those tortoises are Diego’s very own children, making a massive impact on the species’ survival.
Isn’t it amazing how one tortoise changed the fate of an entire species? Share this incredible story with your friends, and let them know how Diego became a true hero of the animal kingdom!
