In the world of wildlife conservation, few stories are as remarkable – or as amorous – as that of Diego, the Hood Island giant tortoise from the Galápagos. Dubbed the “sex-crazed tortoise” by admirers, Diego has fathered an astonishing 900 offspring, single-handedly (or should we say, single-shelledly?) rescuing his species from the brink of extinction.
Born in the 1910s on Española Island, Diego’s journey from an ordinary tortoise to a conservation Casanova is nothing short of extraordinary. Captured as a young adult and shipped to the United States, Diego spent decades in various zoos, unwittingly preparing for his future role as his species’ savior.
When the population of the Hood Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis), a subspecies of Galápagos tortoise endemic to Española Island in the Galápagos, plummeted to a mere 15 individuals in the 1960s, conservationists knew they needed a hero, as only two of the remaining wild males proved suitable for breeding.
Enter Diego, the tortoise with a talent for romance, who had lived at the San Diego zoo for 30 years with his subspecies being unknown. Identified as a Hood Island giant tortoise through DNA testing and transferred to Santa Cruz Island in 1977, Diego joined a breeding program that would become the stuff of legend.
Over the years, Diego’s amorous adventures produced about 900 of the program’s offspring. His natural vitality and, shall we say, enthusiasm for the task at hand, became the talk of the Galápagos.
Park rangers estimate that Diego is responsible for about 40% of the tortoises now living on the island of Española, where they were released, increasing the wild population to more than 2,000. Talk about a ladies’ man!
Diego’s reputation as a prolific paramour isn’t just about numbers. Actually, his fellow breeder, E5, was more successful in terms of offspring (he fathered most of the remaining 60% of the program’s output) – but E5 was more reserved in nature, had a less memorable name, and was rarely observed in the act of mating. In contrast, Diego’s aggressive, active, and vocal mating behavior made him popular among female tortoises and more noticeable to observers.
After decades of tireless… er, work, Diego’s extraordinary journey came full circle. In June 2020, at the impressive age of 100+, this senior Romeo was returned to his birthplace, Española Island, for a well-deserved retirement. One can only imagine the stories he’ll share with his grandchildren – all of them!