new zealand

02.09.10

Dino-aged Reptile Makes a Comeback

The world's oldest lizard-like reptile, with roots dating back to the Triassic period, has been found breeding again for the first time in 200 years
By Jaya Jiwatram Posted 11.03.2008 at 1:14 pm 1 Comment

He is greenish brown, has dragon scales for skin, grows up to 32 inches and is the world's last remaining lizard-like reptile that has a lineage dating back to about 225 million years when dinosaurs still roamed the earth—he's a tuatara and he's making a comeback. A species native to New Zealand, the tuatara was spotted nesting in a sanctuary close to Wellington last week, the first such sighting in 200 years. Staff at the 620-acre Karori Wildlife Sanctuary stumbled upon four white, leathery ping-pong sized tuatara eggs during routine maintenance work at the end of last week.

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