Wild tuatara are found on nearshore islands, occurring on the mainland only where there are captive rearing facilities or predator-free refuges. Fossil records show that tuatara were once widespread in the North and South islands. Scientists cannot tell whether the fossil bones are from the two surviving tuatara species, or from undescribed species, now extinct.
Using this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.