The tortoise single-handedly saving his own species

Diego, a hundred year old tortoise, has been praised for single-handedly saving his species from extinction on the island of Española in the Galapagos Islands.

He has fathered over 800 babies since 1976, when there were only two males and 12 females on the island. Diego is a Chelonoidis hoodensis, a species of Galapagos tortoise found in the wild only on Española.

Tommy Owens is one of the Galapagos tortoise keepers at San Diego zoo and told 5 live Drive that “this is without a doubt one of the most successful conservation stories for turtles and tortoises globally.”

This clip is originally from 5 live Drive on 15 September 2016.