The Dying Species Tuatara

[Guest]

Once again, this is why I feel that local herpetological societies should have a broader range of authority. The San Diego zoo was given a breeding pair of tuataras after paying a VERY large sum of money and an elaborate ceremony. My fellow herpers, I think given the chance we could re-establish this species but we have no way of doing so. They will not export them. Check this out. A lizard that lives 80 years! Eggs take 14-18 months to hatch, and don't reach sexual maturity until the age of 30!

Search tuatara.

 

[dorton]

Thats a pretty cool lizard.
Its a shame the maturity is so slow.

 

[joshandjack]

those creatures are amazing. they are like the last living dinosaurs if you ask me. i wonder how big their estimated wild population is.

 

[hoosier]

those creatures are amazing. they are like the last living dinosaurs if you ask me. i wonder how big their estimated wild population is.

small and getting smaller.i really wish we could do something but the living fossil will soon become just a fossil. with such a low and slow breeding ability, they dont reproduce fastenough to survive in the wild.

 

[lizardboy101]

I agree. These amazing animals need to be helped somehow.

 

[Mike]

Very cool lizards, natural selection happens for a reason, but I wish it would skip the tuatara.

 

[chelvis]

Unfortuntly it is one of the few aniamls that has lasted longer due to human help. It actully isn't a lizard at all but its own classification. Very closly realated to dinos. Its ashame that the san deigo zoo doesn't have an exhibit for them becuase not many people will ever get to see them other wise. All they got is a siging on a side of a building talking about thier resurch. On the other hand i was lucky enough to see a pair when i was doen in New Zealand a few years back. Those things are so freaking cool!!!

 

[Beazer]

Its a very hot topic, but sometimes thats when smugglers come in handy. A lot of people who get something that rare arent going to let them die and would probably take better care and do better than a zoo itself. The funny thing is they are protected yet people are still allowed to destroy and develope their habitat and little kids probably kill them for fun. God forbid you take a small group and are succesful with them.....


-Jon DeLong

 

[DaRealJoker]

underground eco-organization in the making? Maybe going underground might just preserve them. I wish I had a tuatara. It's so kool. Lifespan that could exceed ours? WOW!!! I would love to breed them. But yeah, nature is gonna do as she will, much like our wives lol. But I think our wives would still save this creature. I think the most amazing in the WORLD!!

 

[DaRealJoker]

Tuatara

 

[DaRealJoker]

I brought this up because they have discovered four eggs that have been laid in captivity for the first time at Southland Museum in New Zealand. They were found last week.

 

[Kharnifex]

lol, he looks like spyro a little.

spyro's my aussie water dragon.

 

[Mvskokee]

def my favortie animal in every way

 

[dpjm]

These are really fascinating animals. Actually though, they are not not very closely related to dinosaurs, at least not any closer than lizards and snakes are to dinosarus. Dinosaurs (and crocodilians) are from the group Archosauromorpha, while tuataras and squamates (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenids) derive from the group Lepidosauromorpha. Tuataras are most closely related to squamates (they are sister groups). Ancestors of tuataras (ancient Sphenodontids) may have coexisted with dinosaurs, but they are distantly related. It is thought that tuataras closely resemble their ancient ancestors morphologically, which is probably why they are often called "living fossils."

They have been the subject of some interest recently as a species they display the fastest rate of molecular evolution on record (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18255186).

With their natural habitat withering away, captive breeding programs like at SDZ may be their last hope for survival. Maybe someday they will end up in the pet trade, but I don't think very soon.

 

[dicy]

you guys r talking about tuatara in general ? cuz i was reading the cittes site a while ago and only 1 of the 2 species is illigal to keep as i can remember but than again if u got the contackts u can get evrything but i think whit time they whill become availeble for more ppl than just the selecktive few that have m now to contribute on breeding info and all the other mysterys on these creatures

 

[DaRealJoker]

Dicy, do you remember what tuatara is alowed as a pet?

 

[dicy]

u need to look into the cittes list i think 1 of m was listed cittes 2 like most monitors could be chainged already tho since its been a while that looked