|
  |
|
|
The success story of New Zealand conservation...
The success story of New Zealand conservation - Tuataras saved from extiction... Experiencing New Zealand the way it used to be - 200 million years ago before humankind evolved. A species of tuatara the survivors of the reptilian order of Sphenodontia were in danger of extinction until the Victoria University of Wellington led surveys in the early 1990'S on the 300 hectares island of Hautura in the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand's North Island. Eight adult tuatara were found and kept in captivity on the island to protect them from Pacific rats also living there. Since 1994 staff in the biological sciences of the university have been incubating and hatching eggs laid by these tuatara and sending them back to Hautura, also known as Little Barrier Island. Back there they have been raised by Conservation Department staff in safe tuatariums awaiting rat eradication which would enable their release. So far the eight founder tuatara have produced 100 offspring. Those released are both male and female, and aged from eight to twelve years old. A further 40 remain in captivity and will be released when they are large enough to better defend themselves. In 2004 a rat eradication program began and by June last year the island was declared rat free!
|
Contributor's Note
An ancient reptilian order - spendodontia tuatara.
|
|
Kiwi Riverman team leader
No reactions yet.
Please login or sign up to rate this intel.
Please login or sign up to add a comment.
The copyright for this content entitled "The success story of New Zealand conservation..." has been specified by the contributor as:
All Rights Reserved
This content may not be copied, distributed or adapted by anyone under any circumstances.
|
 |
May, 2012
2008
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2009
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2010
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2011
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
2012
January, February, March, April, May
|
|
Not a member yet?
Qondio is a powerful network for making it online. If you have a website to
promote, we can help.
Sign up and get in on the action.
|
|
Welcome to Qondio! Discover the awesome power this network can deliver by going to our About page. Or you could skip straight to the Sign Up form.
|
|
