Story: Extinctions

Distribution of tuatara

Distribution of tuatara

Tuatara, which are lizard-like reptiles, have been killed off from the mainland of New Zealand, and are now found in the wild only on rat-free offshore islands. In most cases tuatara occur naturally there, but they have also been released on several islands to help build up their numbers.

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How to cite this page:

Richard Holdaway, 'Extinctions - The concept of extinction', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/map/13645/distribution-of-tuatara (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Richard Holdaway, published 24 Sep 2007