Diego the Giant Tortoise: The 100-Year-Old Hero Who Saved His Species
From near extinction to a thriving population, one Galápagos tortoise’s extraordinary contribution rewrote conservation history.
In the world of wildlife conservation—where dramatic rescues and high-tech solutions often take centre stage—one slow-moving hero proved that patience and perseverance can change the course of history. Meet Diego, the Galápagos giant tortoise whose extraordinary life helped pull his subspecies back from the brink of extinction.
Diego belongs to Chelonoidis hoodensis, native to Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago. By the 1960s, this subspecies faced a dire future. Habitat loss, human interference and invasive species had reduced the population to just about 15 individuals. Extinction seemed imminent.
Diego, meanwhile, was living quietly at the San Diego Zoo, unaware that he would soon become the cornerstone of a global conservation effort. Believed to have originated from Española Island, he was selected in the late 1960s for the Galápagos National Park’s captive breeding programme, a move that would change everything.
Over the next 40 years, Diego fathered an astonishing 800 to 900 offspring, becoming one of the programme’s most successful breeders. His remarkable fertility and high energy earned him legendary status among scientists, who often joked that he wasn’t just part of the conservation effort—he was the effort.
Beyond the numbers, Diego’s success speaks to the power of long-term conservation planning. Each hatchling released onto Española represented a step toward restoring an ecosystem disrupted by human impact.
By 2020, the breeding programme had achieved its mission. The tortoise population on Española stabilised, and Diego—having completed his life’s work—was retired and released back to his native island. Today, he roams freely among hundreds of descendants, a living symbol of hope and resilience.
Diego’s story reminds us that conservation heroes don’t always roar or fly. Sometimes, they move slowly, carry centuries of wisdom on their shells and quietly reshape the future of an entire species.
This article is authored by Sakshi, an intern from ST Joseph's Degree and PG College