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Rare reptile hatchling found on New Zealand mainland
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 19 - 03 - 2009


A hatchling of a rare
reptile with lineage dating back to the dinosaur age has
been found in the wild on the New Zealand mainland for the
first time in about 200 years, a wildlife official said
Thursday, according to AP.
The baby tuatara was discovered by staff during routine
maintenance work at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the
capital, Wellington, conservation manager Raewyn Empson
said.
«We are all absolutely thrilled with this discovery,»
Empson said. «It means we have successfully re-established
a breeding population back on the mainland, which is a
massive breakthrough for New Zealand conservation.»
Tuatara, which measure up to 32 inches (80 cm) when full
grown, are the last descendants of a lizard-like reptile
species, zoologists say.
There are estimated to be about 50,000 of them living in
the wild on 32 small offshore islands cleared of predators,
but this is the first time a hatchling has been seen on the
mainland in about 200 years.
The New Zealand natives were nearly extinct on the
country's three main islands by the late 1700s due to the
introduction of predators such as rats.
Empson said the hatchling is thought to be about one month
old and likely came from an egg laid about 16 months ago.
Two nests of eggs _ the size of pingpong balls _ were
unearthed in the sanctuary last year and tuatara were
expected to hatch around this time.


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