Research discovers that Diego the Giant Tortoise has helped to save his species from extinction by fathering hundreds of baby tortoises. 

All was well with Espanola Giant Tortoises (Chelonoidis hoodensis) in the Galápagos–until invasive rats were introduced by pirates and infiltrated the island ecosystem. The presence of rats made reproduction extremely difficult and often unsuccessful for the tortoises. These invasive predators prey on eggs and even tortoise hatchlings.

Thanks to a captive breeding program, however, the Giant Tortoise population on Espanola is on the road to recovery. In fact, there is one male in particular who did an outstanding job of upholding the species. His name is Diego and he fathered approximately 800 Espanola Tortoises. Washington Tapia, a tortoise preservation specialist at Galapagos National Park, commented:

 Around 50 years ago, there were only two males and twelve females of Diego’s species alive on Espanola, and they were too spread out to reproduce. He has done more than any other tortoise to turn that around—with the help of his mates, of course.

The opportunity to breed in safety proved very beneficial for Espanola Giant Tortoises. However, there is still a long way to go before these tortoises can safely breed in the wild. Tapia noted:

I wouldn’t say (the species) is in perfect health, because historical records show there probably used to be more than 5,000 tortoises on the island. But it’s a population that’s in pretty good shape—and growing, which is the most important.

For the Espanola Tortoise to be able to survive in the wild, the island must be free of invasive species. Tortoises need safe habitat to breed and raise offspring. With continued captive breeding and eradication of invasive rats, these Giant Tortoises could very well return to their peaceful and prolific lives in the wild.

Featured photo: Phys.org
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