Diego was among 14 tortoises (there were only two males and 12 females of Diego’s species alive) selected to take part in a breeding programme on Santa Cruz Island. The programme has been a success, producing more than 2,000 giant tortoises since it began in the 1960s.
Diego’s sex drive was said to be one of the main reasons.
The 100-year-old tortoise has fathered hundreds of progeny, around 800 by some estimates. He will join a 1,800-strong tortoise population, at least 40% of which park rangers believe he has fathered.
The Galápagos Islands, 906km (563 miles) west of continental Ecuador, are a Unesco World Heritage site renowned worldwide for their unique array of plants and wildlife.
Source: BBC
[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51073620](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51073620)