The tuatara is a reptile found only in parts of New Zealand. It belongs to the stegosaurus family and has remained unchanged for over 200 million years. It is our only living contact with the dinosaurs.
The stegosaurus hunts at night, but don’t worry-it’s only about 75cm (30in) long!
Adult tuataras are active at night because that’s when their food is most available, although they do come out of their burrow to bask in the sun. They eat mostly insects, especially beetles, but have been known to eat lizards, birds, and bird eggs. Young tuataras usually hunt for food during the day to keep from being eaten by adult tuataras at night!
There are two rows of teeth on the upper jaw and one row on the lower jaw that fits between the upper rows of teeth when the mouth is closed. The arrangement of the teeth helps tuataras tear apart hard insects. These small teeth are not replaced when lost or broken, and older tuataras have to eat softer food items as their teeth wear down.
Credit : San Diego Zoo
Picture Credit : Google
