New Zealand's ancient tuatara finally found a mate!

For over 200 years, the tuatara has roamed New Zealand without a mate. But now, the ancient creature has finally found a companion!

The tuatara is a unique species of lizard that is found only in New Zealand. It is an ancient creature, dating back to the time of the dinosaurs. And for over 200 years, it has been living alone.

But that all changed last week, when biologists announced that they had found a female tuatara and placed her in the same enclosure as the male tuatara.

The reaction from the two tuataras was immediate. The male began courting the female, and within minutes, they were mating!

This is great news for the future of the tuatara species. With two animals mating, there is now a good chance that their offspring will survive and continue to populate New Zealand.

So far, there have been no reports of any offspring resulting from this mating, but biologists are hopeful. They will be carefully monitoring the two animals to see if they produce any eggs.

If they do, then New Zealand's ancient tuatara will be saved from extinction!

Tuatara eggs set to hatch at amazement of scientists

The first eggs of tuatara, a native New Zealand reptile, in over 100 years are set to hatch at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery next month, much to the amazement of scientists.

The last time scientists documented tuatara hatching was in 1912 at Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre. The event is considered so momentous that museum curators have moved the incubated eggs from the research department to the public gallery for people to witness.

"We are overjoyed that these eggs have hatched and excited to share this experience with our community," said Laura-Leigh Henry, curator of natural sciences at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.

Tuatara eggs take 3-5 years to incubate, depending on temperature, and typically hatch in December or January. The museum has been caring for two donated tuatara eggs since they were delivered in 2016.

Tuatara are one of the world's rarest reptiles and are only found in New Zealand. They are a living fossil, dating back 200 million years, and are the only species of reptile that can live for up to 200 years.

Museum staff will keep a close eye on the hatching process and will post updates on social media.

Tuatara breeding programme a success

The tuatara breeding programme at the Wellington Zoo has been a success, with the birth of six new tuatara babies.

The zoo's curator of reptiles and amphibians, Dr. Jo Schofield, said it was an amazing achievement to have successfully bred tuatara in captivity.

"It's really important for us to be able to breed these animals in captivity, as it helps to ensure their survival," she said.

The tuatara is a critically endangered species, with there being only around 200,000 left in the wild.

The Wellington Zoo's breeding programme began in 2007, and since then has resulted in the birth of more than 60 hatchlings.

This latest success brings the total number of hatched tuatara at the zoo to 172.

Rare tuatara caught on camera in wild for first time in 100 years

For the first time in a hundred years, a tuatara has been captured on camera in the wild. The reptile, which is native to New Zealand and is thought to be around 200 years old, was photographed by a Department of Conservation worker on a nature reserve on the North Island.

Tuataras are listed as being critically endangered and there are only around 100 individuals left in the wild, making this sighting all the more significant. "It's an amazing breakthrough for tuatara conservation, as we only know of around 100tuatara living in the wild," said Department of Conservation Manager of Threatened Species Hugh Robertson.

The tuatara is a unique species of lizard that is considered to be the living fossil as it is one of the few remaining species from when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Tuataras have distinctive features such as three horns on their head and a spiny back. They are also known for their slow movements and long lifespan; they can live up to 150 years old.

The Department of Conservation is now hoping to use this new information to protect tuataras in the wild. "This breakthrough gives us important information about where these animals are living and helps us target our conservation efforts accordingly," said Robertson.

New Zealand's beloved tuatara threatened by extinction

The tuatara, a uniquely New Zealand lizard, is under threat of extinction, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.

The population of tuatara has declined by more than 80% in the past century, and there are now estimated to be only around 110,000 individuals remaining.

This dramatic decline is primarily due to predation by introduced predators such as rats, stoats and feral cats, as well as loss of habitat.

Tuatara are the only surviving species of a group of ancient reptiles that were widespread on the planet 200 million years ago. They are extremely slow-growing and long-lived, taking up to 15 years to reach maturity and surviving for up to 100 years.

This makes them particularly vulnerable to extinction if something were to happen to their population.

Thankfully there are several conservation projects underway which are working to protect the tuatara from further decline. These include predator control programmes, captive breeding and headstarting schemes, and habitat restoration work.

But more needs to be done if we want to save this iconic New Zealand reptile from extinction. We urge everyone who cares about New Zealand's natural heritage to get behind these conservation efforts and help us protect our precious tuatara!