HORNY TORTOISE RETIRES FROM STUD FARM

A giant Galápagos tortoise who has been credited with saving his species from extinction has officially entered retirement. Diego, the 100-year-old tortoise, along with 14 other male tortoises, have returned to their native Española, one of Ecuador’s Galápagos islands. The old boys were put out to pasture on Monday after decades of breeding in captivity. Diego is thought to have fathered hundreds of progeny, around 40% of the 2,000 giant tortoises alive today. Around 50 years ago, there were only two male and 12 female Galápagos tortoises alive on Española. To save his species, Diego was brought in from California’s San Diego Zoo to take part in a breeding program on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California. The program was a success, producing more than 2,000 giant tortoises since it began in the 1960s.
* At 100 years old, Diego is just entering his teens.
* Wow, there’s something on earth older than Keith Richards.
* 40% of all giant tortoises have the same father? They’re going to be more inbred than the British monarchy.
* On the other hand, think of the presents on Father’s Day.
* And speaking of 2,000 giant tortoises, let’s check on rush hour traffic.