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Rare Reptile Hatchling Discovered

By RAY LILLEY
,
AP
posted: 3 HOURS AGO
comments: 200
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (March 19) - 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.
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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."
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Tuatara, which measure up to 32 inches when full grown, are the last descendants of a lizard-like reptile species that walked the Earth with the dinosaurs 225 million years ago, 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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"He is unlikely to be the only baby to have hatched this season, but seeing him was an incredible fluke," she said.
The youngster faces a tough journey to maturity despite being in the 620-acre sanctuary and protected by a predator-proof fence. It will have to run from the cannibalistic adult tuatara, and would make a tasty snack for birds of prey, Empson said.
"Like all the wildlife living here, he'll just have to take his chances," Empson said.
"They've been extinct on the mainland for a long time," said Lindsay Hazley, tuatara curator at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery on South Island. He added that "you can breed tuatara by eliminating risk, but to have results like this among many natural predators (like native birds) is a positive sign."
About 200 tuatara have been released since 2005 into the Karori Sanctuary, which was established to breed native birds, insects and other creatures.
Tuatara have unique characteristics, such as two rows of top teeth closing over one row at the bottom and a parietal eye — a dot on the top of the skull that is believed to be light-sensitive and is sometimes referred to as the animal's third eye.
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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-03-19 08:07:02
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Kejo620

03:49 PMMar 19 2009

Til next time Skaarkat. L8r. lol.

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Kejo620

03:47 PMMar 19 2009

Look if you don't believe in the Bible, then don't believe in it. I happen to believe in the authority and truth of the Bible. The same way you get all of you answers is the same way i get mine. I do my research. Just because I am unwilling to believe in what some scientists say does not mean that I am unintelligent. I didn't insult your intelligence.

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Skaarcat

03:46 PMMar 19 2009

OOPS I guess someone didn't like my arguments and reported my last reply to Kejo. I must have made someone uncomfortable. Well, got to go make dinner for the family. It's been fun.

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Skaarcat

03:43 PMMar 19 2009

Kejo620...if you have so much faith then read some of the scientific books explaining evolution. Try "the ancestor's tale" by Dawkins. Watch the history channel. Open your mind. If you truly believe in god then you shouldn't be afraid to use the mind he gave you and learn something new everyday.

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Kejo620

03:40 PMMar 19 2009

Besides Skaarkat, what reason would i have for debating something I didn't believe in? Oh, I am also a she not a "he" lol.

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Kejo620

03:38 PMMar 19 2009

Actually, Skaarkat, i am an evangelical christian. I read the Bible everyday. I truly believe that God is the Creator of all things. I hold to every single biblical doctrine but I'm touched that you would think I would get into an argument with darwinists and evolutionists just for fun lol.

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Skaarcat

03:37 PMMar 19 2009

KroftS5....'if you can't see it with your own eyes then it is based on FAITH"!!!! Wow, that is really the silliest thing I've ever heard. You can't see air but you are breathing so I guess you are taking the fact there is air on faith. Maybe you'll suffocate if you stop having faith in air!

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LuiALVA

03:35 PMMar 19 2009

When they said rare creature. I thought it was a S.Florida non corrupt politician .However many say such a creature in S.Florida is completely extinct

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HBurns1351

03:34 PMMar 19 2009

Maddmaxx77703:05 PMMar 19 2009HBurns1351.....yeah because i guess i told you to burn in hell? No i never did so dont pull that crap. My post was just there to try and break this wall that these two sides of science seems to have. But i do have a problem with your statement. You say the Bible isnt a science book. Now why do you need to say that. It might not be yours but for creationists that is a book we hold on to just as much as Darwinists like to use the Origins of Species. Both have caused people to question both books but at least parts of the bible have been around longer then 2000 years. What Darwains book has been around what 100-300 years i forget.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~H B: I didn't say you, I said creationists in general. Creationistism works from the assumption that Genesis is true. IE a six day creation , a great flood, etc. This constitutes the 'scientific' basis of Creationism.

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Skaarcat

03:34 PMMar 19 2009

Poor Kejo620...if he can't understand it in simple english then he thinks it can't be true. I guess nuclear reactors must be 'magic' then. If not, please explain to all of us how they work, Kejo.. Oh, I guess it's not in the bible so you can't. Too bad.

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