This 100-year-old tortoise’s mojo is definitely working

Galapagos giant tortoise Super Diego lifting head
Photo by Nick Dale/Shutterstock

In the words of blues artist Muddy Waters, “Got my mojo working, but it just won’t work on you.” But apparently Diego the tortoise’s mojo does work. On female tortoises, that is—so much so that his mojo may have just saved an entire species from extinction. According to an article by the good news network, the Galapagos giant tortoise population was almost no more in 1976 due to falling prey to predators. “Only 12 female and 2 male tortoises remained on the island,” the article states. Enter Diego from the San Diego zoo in California, who was flown onto the Galapagos Islands in an effort to save the endangered species. Thanks to this hot-blooded reptile (he’s not really hot blooded, you know what we mean), the entire island of Espanola has essentially been repopulated over the last 50 years. The island currently houses over 2,000 tortoises. Measuring 5 feet long and weighing 125 pounds, Diego the tortoise now lives on Santa Cruz island with six female mates—enjoying all of their, ahem, company, and doing what he does best. Go, Diego, go!

Photo of Diego the tortoise.

Photo courtesy of www.goodnewsnetwork.org.


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