Tuataras enjoy improved leafy exhibit at Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium

Ripu Bhatia Reporter from Community News

The tuatara exhibit at Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium has been upgraded with help from the Department of Conservation.

Four tuataras have settled back into the improved exhibit in time for Conservation Week, where Kiwis are encouraged to explore their backyard and engage with nature.

Kelly Tarlton’s lead aquarist Felix Berghoefer said tuatara have been at the aquarium since 2016.

“They act as ambassadors for their species and help us educate visitors on the way tuatara live in New Zealand, what threats they face in the wild and how we can help support these incredible native animals,” he said.

“Tuatara were once widespread on the mainland of New Zealand. Sadly, introduced predators like rats, stoats, feral cats and possums have made it too dangerous for them now on the mainland, except in predator-free sanctuaries including some islands in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.”
 
Tuatara are endemic to New Zealand and are the last surviving species of Rhynchocephalia, an order of lizard-like reptiles that traces back to more than 200 million years ago, when dinosaurs walked the earth.

The tuatara at Kelly Tarlton’s are around 7 years old and originate from Takapourewa Island, at the northern end of the South Island.

Kelly Tarlton’s is currently closed to the public due to Alert Level 3 restrictions.

Conservation week will run from August 15 to August 23. People can explore the aquarium online through a virtual tour, accessible from the Kelly Tarlton’s website.