Meet Diego the Tortoise: His Species Faced Extinction, So He Got to Work, Fathered 800 Babies, and Retired a Legend at Over 100 Years Old

Different species could face extinction without ever knowing about it. However, sometimes they could also save themselves, without realizing they were doing it. This is most probably the case of Diego the Tortoise, when he fathered 800 offspring. He saved his whole species, and he probably did not realize it, and just wanted to mate as many times as he could.

A Species on the Brink of Extinction

In the 1960s, the Galápagos giant tortoise population on Española Island had dropped to only 2 males and 13 females. With only this much remaining, scientists and conservationists feared that their species might vanish soon. That is when they introduced a program specifically to take care of these tortoises and help them increase the number of their population.

It was an effort focused on breeding the remaining tortoises, located at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Diego, at the time, was living at the San Diego Zoo when he was brought in to specifically help mate with the female tortoises to increase their numbers. What scientists did not realize was that Diego alone was more than enough for the task, and did better than they ever imagined.

Read more: The Guardian

The Tortoise Who Saved His Species

DIEGO: The tortoise who saved his species from extinction

Diego’s contribution to the survival and propagation of his species was one of the most amazing conservation success stories. It is estimated that he fathered about 800 offspring and that he is responsible for 40% of the total population of the Española giant tortoise today.

The breeding program that they did was a success, but only because Diego was there, working tirelessly for decades. By 2025, experts estimate that the species is now made up of over 2000 individual tortoises. This is a safe number that moves them away from the face of extinction and has now allowed Diego to retire at the age of just over 100 years old.

What Made Diego Special

So what makes Diego special, and could other male tortoises do what he achieved? The answer is most probably no, and that Diego is special in his own way. Compared to other males, Diego was more aggressive and unusually active.

Most tortoises in their species are slow and passive, but Diego had a bold personality that made him a standout as he sought females and mated with them. What makes him even more special is that he has done this for decades.

Returning Home After a Life of Service

During his captivity in the Zoo and in the breeding program, Diego adapted quickly and was healthy for decades. Scientists also confirmed that he has more than average mating drive, which made him the best option to revive his dying species.

After decades of work, Diego was finally released to the wild last 2020. Scientists also decided to end the breeding program and return everyone to their natural habitats. So today, Diego is walking freely on Española Island where his species almost met their end, but let’s be honest, he probably is still working in there.

Gravitas: A tortoise who saved his species

Author's Final Thoughts

Diego’s story could be both funny and inspiring because it shows that, together with the help of humans and the healthy drive for reproduction, animal species could fight extinction. However, we have to realize that we play a big role in why a lot of these extinction events are happening, but luckily, there are also a lot of people who care.

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