The tuatara is a living link to the age of the dinosaurs, found only in New Zealand. It is a taonga (treasure) for Māori and a flagship for New Zealand’s efforts to protect island wildlife from introduced predators.
Interesting facts
- Despite its appearance, the tuatara is not a lizard.
- Young tuatara have a visible ‘third eye’ on top of the head, which becomes covered by scales as they grow.
- Tuatara can stay active at temperatures around 5–10 °C, colder than most reptiles tolerate.
- The sex of hatchlings depends on nest temperature, with warmer nests producing more males.
- Their eggs can take 12 to 15 months to hatch.
- A tuatara named Henry at the Southland Museum became a father at about 111 years old.
Behaviour
Tuatara are mostly nocturnal. They often live in burrows dug by seabirds such as petrels and shearwaters and eat insects attracted to seabird colonies. They grow very slowly.
Breeding and young
Females breed only every two to five years. They lay about 6–10 eggs in a shallow burrow, and the eggs develop for over a year before hatching.
Threats and conservation
Introduced predators, especially rats, wiped tuatara out of the mainland. Climate change is a new threat, because warmer nests could produce too many males.
Where to see it
- Zealandia Ecosanctuary, Wellington
- Orokonui Ecosanctuary, Dunedin
- Tuatarium at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill
- Predator-free islands such as Takapourewa (Stephens Island), with restricted access
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
