New Zealand - Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting

**dirtydog** · 31-10-2008, 11:02 PM

Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting in NZ

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.

Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting in NZ - Yahoo! News

**EmperorTud** · 01-11-2008, 12:14 AM

Reptile you say?

New Zealand you say?

Hmm.

**withnallstoke** · 01-11-2008, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

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.

Twaddle. It really is twaddle. We can't even show proof that man descended from the ape

**Issan Man** · 01-11-2008, 01:50 AM

Withnallstoke,are you a Craetionist by any chance,and do you think that Father Christmas still exist

.Darwin got it right

**PlanK** · 01-11-2008, 01:52 AM

It's election time. All the pre-historic reptiles are coming out of the woodwork.

**withnallstoke** · 01-11-2008, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Issan Man

Withnallstoke,are you a Craetionist by any chance,and do you think that Father Christmas still exist.Darwin got it right

I am a studier of evidence.

**withnallstoke** · 01-11-2008, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by Issan Man

.Darwin got it right

How do you have the audacity to say Darwin got it right?

**Thormaturge** · 01-11-2008, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Plan B

It's election time. All the pre-historic reptiles are coming out of the woodwork.

I thought this was going to be an article about the UK's oldest reptile, Margaret Thatcher.

**keda** · 01-11-2008, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Originally Posted by "dirtydog"

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.

Twaddle. It really is twaddle. We can't even show proof that man descended from the ape

Does that mean he didn't, or that he only probably did?

**keda** · 01-11-2008, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Originally Posted by "Issan Man"

.Darwin got it right

How do you have the audacity to say Darwin got it right?

Didn't Lamark publish Darwinian theory the same year Darwin was born, or was it the year after?

**Rural Surin** · 01-11-2008, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Originally Posted by Issan Man

.Darwin got it right

How do you have the audacity to say Darwin got it right?

Observing your drivel...??

**Rural Surin** · 01-11-2008, 06:18 PM

What's even more interesting to explore, is how a "Darwinian" standard of consciousness in Eurocentric circles is the end-all. Don't bother allowing yourself to examine any other theories, models, or "standards". WE alrady have our standard - right, wrong, indifferent. This deepest ideal of using anything Darwin-esque or Darwinian referenced is confounding. What if Darwin was off-base completely, regardless of your politics???

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