09/19/2026
Diego was supposed to be one of the last. In the Galápagos, his species was dying out, only a handful remained. Then Diego arrived at the San Diego Zoo and became an unlikely hero. Over decades, he fathered around 800 offspring, directly saving his species from extinction. He proved that one individual, in the right circumstances, can change everything. Hundreds of giant Galápagos tortoises exist today because of one animal's contribution. It's a reminder that sometimes survival comes down to finding the right match and giving life a second chance.