Few wildlife conservation stories are as wonderful—or as romantic—as that of Diego, the giant Galapagos tortoise on Hood Island.
Admirers have dubbed Diego the “sex-crazed turtle” as he fathered a whopping 900 hatchlings and saved his species from extinction all by himself – or should we say with a single carapace?
Diego was born on the island of Española in 1910, and his transformation from an ordinary turtle to a protective Casanova is truly remarkable. After being kidnapped and brought to the United States as a young adult, Diego spent decades in several zoos, unwittingly training to become the future salvation of his species.
Conservationists realized they needed a hero when the population of the Hood Island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis), a subspecies of the Galapagos tortoise endemic to Española Island in the Galapagos, dropped to just 15 individuals in the 1960s, leaving only two wild males. Suitable for breeding.
Enter Diego, a turtle with a penchant for romance who has lived at the San Diego Zoo for 30 years and his subspecies is unknown.
After being transported to Santa Cruz Island in 1977 and identified by DNA testing as the Hood Island Giant Tortoise, Diego became part of a breeding program that became legendary.
Diego’s romantic escapades have produced roughly nine hundred program offspring over the years. His innate energy and shall we say enthusiasm for the work he was doing made him talk about the Galapagos.
Diego is credited by park officials with nearly 40% of the tortoises currently on Española Island, where they were released and have multiplied in the wild to over 2,000. Wow, what a ladies’ man!
There’s more to Diego’s reputation as a frequent lover than just his stats. Most of the remaining 60% of the program’s children were sired by his partner breeder, E5, who was more efficient at producing offspring. However, E5 was less social, had a less memorable nickname, and was rarely seen mating. Diego, on the other hand, attracted the attention of onlookers and was more popular with the turtles due to his noisy, aggressive, and vigorous mating behavior.
Diego’s incredible adventure has come to an end after decades of constant…er, toil. At the remarkable age of over 100, this elderly Romeo was brought back to his homeland, the island of Española, for a well-deserved retirement in June 2020. The stories she will tell her grandchildren – all of them – are unimaginable!
Diego’s journey from captive turtle to conservation hero is a testament to the impact an individual can have on the survival of an entire species. His remarkable ability to produce around 900 offspring not only helped revive Hood Island’s giant tortoise population but also demonstrated the vital role of specialized breeding programs in wildlife conservation.
When Diego returned to the island of Española, he became a symbol of hope and resilience for conservationists everywhere. His story serves as a reminder that despite daunting challenges, nature can bounce back with the right effort and a little romance.
Now enjoying retirement, Diego leaves behind a thriving tortoise population – proof that his contributions changed the landscape of Galapagos conservation forever.
The journey of this “sex-crazed turtle” reminds us that every species has the potential for redemption, and sometimes all it takes is a passionate spirit to make a difference.