Ancient NZ reptile regains interest in sex after 38 years

by Rich Bowden - Aug 7 2008, 05:30

A 111-year-old lizard has become a father for the first time since 1970, curators at Southland Museum in Invercargill, New Zealand have said.

Proving you are never too old, Henry, the ton-up plus tuatara, a lizard-like creature with links to prehistoric dinosaurs, has successfully mated with 80-year-old lizard Mildred, whose eggs are expected to hatch within six months, reports AFP.

"He wasn't interested in sex until he had a cancerous tumour removed," Southland Museum curator Lindsay Hazley said. "He bit the tail off his previous female companion twice. But since the operation his hormones have been raging."

The tuatara is endemic to New Zealand and the two surviving species are the only remaining members of the once-flourishing Sphenodontians, which had the peak of their existence some 200 million years ago. However, although lizard like, the tuatara is also related to snakes and is therefore the subject of great scientific interest.

For now though, Henry is doing his bit to keep the endangered species from extinction; he currently has three females in his enclosure with the next breeding season due to start in eight months, according to curators.

"He's definitely up for it," quipped Mr. Hazley, "he's become a real Jack the Lad."

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