Tuatara

[SnoopySnake]

Anyone else ever heard of these? They're so neat! Its a type of reptile native to New Zealand, they look like lizards but I guess they're not. :)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zuQEURGlBzo/TwaJ3uW5nAI/AAAAAAAAAGk/XouZSnKd280/s1600/tuatarak.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zuQEURGlBzo/TwaJ3uW5nAI/AAAAAAAAAGk/XouZSnKd280/s1600/tuatarak.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7160/6787695713_81e7b02583_z.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7160/6787695713_81e7b02583_z.jpg

[metalcopper]

Yeah, I used to read about them back in the early 90's. They are the only species in their Order, I believe. A very unique reptile.

[millertime89]

Arguably my favorite reptile ever. Such a cool animal, they look like something prehistoric like crocodilians do.

[SnoopySnake]

Arguably my favorite reptile ever. Such a cool animal, they look like something prehistoric like crocodilians do.

I read that these are actually one of the oldest reptiles around, I'll have to find it. :)

[millertime89]

I read that these are actually one of the oldest reptiles around, I'll have to find it. :)

It's true. Adds to the allure of the species.

[eminart]

They're very interesting. I saw a video of one feeding once. They're very primitive in their movements and clumsy feeders. Very different from modern lizards.

[Casp1r]

Yeah, I used to read about them back in the early 90's. They are the only species in their Order, I believe. A very unique reptile.

Yes. Very unique, I would've thought that they were lizards. I'm pretty sure that they're endangered though, which is a shame.

[Minkness]

They aren't a lizard? O.o

[eminart]

They aren't a lizard? O.o


Much older than lizards.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Tuatara_cladogram.svg/250px-Tuatara_cladogram.svg.png

[pdomensis]

I remember seeing a pic of one that had broken its tail and it came back forked.

[Pirarucu]

Yep, very slow and primitive. There are a few zoos that have them, but they really don't do a whole lot. They are designed to conserve as much energy as possible.

[Mad Max]

Sure, I've heard of them. They have a third eye and unique dentition. Definitely not lizards...

[Primal Rage]

Awesome animals! They look like living dinosaurs!

[eminart]

vSh_fc2y6ds

[Minkness]

Youtub links never work for me on this forum x.x

I did read an article about their breeding habits. Woah...15 years just to be sexually mature...9 months of gestation, then 12-16 months to hatch!

The article I was reading was a sort of petition to allow reputable reptile breeders try to breed them so as to help with their numbers.

I rather like that idea to be honest but I'm curious as to your views on the idea of purposeful, wide spread breeding by others than a zoo.

[pet_snake_78]

Even if people bred them given the length of time to maturity, they'd be way out of my price range!

[Minkness]

They wouldn't be for sale, so like, the pro breeders fill out an application and get a breeding pair to see how it goes and the gov gives them to the breeder for free. Then, once the population becomes a bit more stable, sales may be added to help prevent poaching and wild caught.

[Pirarucu]

Youtub links never work for me on this forum x.x

I did read an article about their breeding habits. Woah...15 years just to be sexually mature...9 months of gestation, then 12-16 months to hatch!

The article I was reading was a sort of petition to allow reputable reptile breeders try to breed them so as to help with their numbers.

I rather like that idea to be honest but I'm curious as to your views on the idea of purposeful, wide spread breeding by others than a zoo.The private sector is invariably more successful than public facilities. Zoos have so much red tape these days that they're not flexible enough to make needed husbandry changes, and the lack of funding means that they often couldn't afford it anyways. Plus, staff are usually generalists who know a little about all the animals, zoos very rarely hire specialists anymore because it means hiring more people. Private breeders are usually specialists, and can make changes when needed. What's more, there's a much bigger financial incentive to get the animals to reproduce. Zoos don't really get anything if they manage to breed something, breeders get paid to do it.
Heck, just look at Crested Geckos. Threatened in the wild, but thriving in captivity. Red-tailed sharks can be found in any fish store you walk into, even though they're extinct in the wild. The ethics of the private sector taking over can be argued as much as we'd like, but there's no denying that it gets things done, and fast. Borneo Earless Monitors are only just being brought in, and already they're being bred. They've been in a handful of zoos around the world for over a decade with nothing, and it took the private sector about a year to get it right.

[Minkness]

Makes so much sense! If only if would happen. =(

[pet_snake_78]

I think the legend of collectors causing population declines is a bit of a boogey man. If you look at timber rattlers, they had bounties for decades. They are slow maturing, long lived species and should have been a great example of a species that would have been quickly wiped out if commercial collection could ever harm a species. Yet in areas with good habitat, they generally ouldn't wipe them out despite their best efforts. However, dynamiting and bulldozing den sites in the North often did wipe out the entire population. I know this is going a little bit off topic, but the idea that reptile breeders are going to cause population declines while ignoring the bulldozers buzzing in the background makes me think a lot of our societies priorities are based more on convenience than genuine willingness to protect biodiversity.

[Akuma223]

The private sector is invariably more successful than public facilities. Zoos have so much red tape these days that they're not flexible enough to make needed husbandry changes, and the lack of funding means that they often couldn't afford it anyways. Plus, staff are usually generalists who know a little about all the animals, zoos very rarely hire specialists anymore because it means hiring more people. Private breeders are usually specialists, and can make changes when needed. What's more, there's a much bigger financial incentive to get the animals to reproduce. Zoos don't really get anything if they manage to breed something, breeders get paid to do it.
Heck, just look at Crested Geckos. Threatened in the wild, but thriving in captivity. Red-tailed sharks can be found in any fish store you walk into, even though they're extinct in the wild. The ethics of the private sector taking over can be argued as much as we'd like, but there's no denying that it gets things done, and fast. Borneo Earless Monitors are only just being brought in, and already they're being bred. They've been in a handful of zoos around the world for over a decade with nothing, and it took the private sector about a year to get it right.
You my friend, said it better than I've ever heard. I didn't know the earless monitors were being bred already! Is there an article or any info on the matter? I'd love to see it.

[Pirarucu]

You my friend, said it better than I've ever heard. I didn't know the earless monitors were being bred already! Is there an article or any info on the matter? I'd love to see it.Trying to find the post. There was one fake breeding where they put juveniles inside empty cyclura eggs, and another in a zoo that only yielded one baby, which died from congenital defects shortly after birth, something that is alarmingly common in zoos, particularly with lizards that bury their eggs.
Chris Murray I know has a large group and has witnessed breeding and test digging, but I don't think he's gotten eggs yet. Someone else hatched some though, I'll post it here as soon as I find it though.