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Henry, a tuatara from New Zealand, wasn't such a big fan
of the ladies in his "younger" years. In fact, he bit off the tail of his
female companion, Matilda, twice. Henry's
behavior is excusable, however. Not only has he passed the century mark, he had
surgery to remove a tumor from his genitals.
Now, finally ready to help increase the tuatara population, Henry has
mated with Mildred, who produced 12 eggs. The offspring will be born in 12-16
months.
What is a Tuatara?
 The tuatara is a reptile species whose roots go back to the
time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Its
close relatives, members of the order Sphenodontia, became extinct about 60
million years ago. It is next most
closely related to the group Squamates, which are comprised of lizards and
snakes.
Tuatara are interesting creatures not only because of their
link to dinosaurs, but also because of some of their unique physical
features. Apart from the spiny crest
along their backs, they feature two rows of teeth in the upper jaw and a parietal eye. This third eye is only visible in hatchlings.
Later, it's covered by scales and pigment. Yet research suggests it may be used
in the manufacture of vitamin D and for thermoregulation.
That double row of teeth is used to dine on a diet of
beetles, crickets, spiders, frogs, lizards, bird eggs, and chicks. Tuatara burrow for shelter; they use existing
burrows or create their own. The
reptile's preferred body temperature is from 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is
lower than most reptiles. Temperatures
over 82 degrees Fahrenheit can be fatal to the tuatara.
Tuatara – Endangered Species
Today there are about 50,000 to 100,000 of the animals left.
Each lives about 60 years in the wild. Henry
is about two feet long and lives at the Southland
Museum in New Zealand, where he has resided
since 1970. He now keeps company with
three females in his enclosure. It is
hoped that he can help improve the genetic diversity of the species.
Resources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3348888/111-year-old-lizard-to-become-a-father.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090127-reptile-dad-AP-picture.html
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=252349&in_page_id=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuatara
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