Tuataras Breeding Again on Mainland New Zealand

[wcreptiles]

Tuataras Breeding Again on Mainland New Zealand
Friday , October 31, 2008

WELLINGTON, New Zealand —

A rare reptile with lineage dating back to the dinosaur age has been found nesting on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in about 200 years, officials said Friday.

Four leathery, white eggs from an indigenous tuatara were found by staff at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital, Wellington, during routine maintenance work Friday, conservation manager Rouen Epson said.

"The nest was uncovered by accident and is the first concrete proof we have that our tuatara are breeding," Epson said. "It suggests that there may be other nests in the sanctuary we don't know of."

Tuatara, dragon-like reptiles that grow to up to 32 inches, are the last descendants of a species that walked the earth with the dinosaurs 225 million years ago, zoologists say.

They have unique characteristics, such as two rows of top teeth closing over one row at the bottom.

They also have a pronounced parietal eye, a light-sensitive pineal gland on the top of the skull. This white patch of skin — called its "third eye" — slowly disappears as they mature.

A native species to New Zealand, tuatara were nearly extinct on the country's three main islands by the late 1700s due to the introduction of predators such as rats. They still live in the wild on 32 small offshore islands cleared of predators.

A population of 70 tuatara was established at the Karori Sanctuary in 2005. Another 130 were released in the sanctuary in 2007.

The sanctuary, a 620-acre wilderness minutes from downtown Wellington, was established to breed native birds, insects and other creatures securely behind a predator-proof fence.

Empson said that the four eggs — the size of pingpong balls — were unearthed Friday but that there were likely more because the average nest contains around ten eggs.

The eggs were immediately covered up again to avoid disturbing incubation.

If all goes well, juvenile tuatara could hatch any time between now and March, she said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,445536,00.html

 

[wcreptiles]

111-Year-Old Reptile Becomes a Dad After Tumor Surgery

"Henry and Mildred’s 11 offspring hatched today, adding a welcome boost to the 72 tautaras kept at the museum."

111-Year-Old Reptile Becomes a Dad After Tumor Surgery
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The tumor on his genitals had made Henry into an old grouch. At his new home in the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, he was aggressive and unpopular with the ladies. Sure, Henry was already in his 70s—but in tuatara years, he was still in his prime.

Tuataras, a lizard-like reptile belonging to an ancient lineage that has changed little since the time of the dinosaurs, are known for their longevity. They don’t reach sexual maturity until age 20 and many have been known to live past 100.

Henry’s fortunes reversed in 2002, when at the age of 105, he underwent an operation to remove his inconvenient (and cancerous) tumor. Since then, his human caretakers say he has regained a vigor that belies his age. Whereas before the operation, Henry was often kept in solitary confinement due to his foul temper, now he is kept in the company of three female tauturas. Even so, museum keepers were surprised when Henry recently became a father at the age of 111, after a romantic romp with an 80-year-old female named Mildred.

Henry and Mildred’s 11 offspring hatched today, adding a welcome boost to the 72 tautaras kept at the museum.

Taurtaras are an endangered species, and the estimated 50,000 left in the world are found mostly in protected areas in New Zealand. Henry’s keepers are hopeful that he will continue to be an active member of the museum’s breeding program. Now if only Henry would give some tips to Lonesome George….

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http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d...ld-reptile-becomes-a-dad-after-tumor-surgery/

 

[MikeCurtin]

Cool to hear....I just saw an artical and was going to post, but you beat me to it....Maybe we'll see CBB Tuataras in the hobby in my kid's lifetime, LOL!

Really cool animals...hopefully well on their way to recovering.

 

[ophidile]

XD I am wondering if it's wrong or right that I look and those and think "maybe we can help out by establishing a captive and breeding population"

They are neat looking! And so long-lived. Very cool!