Southland Museum Visit

We have begun writing reports about the scientific discoveries we have been making.             

 Here are  reports that are the result of our visit to the Southland Museum.

Tuatara

“I have always wanted to touch a Tuatara”, but I thought I would never be able to. Finally that dream came true!

Tuataras live in the same burrow for their whole life and sometimes they even share their burrow with a bird. Tuataras in the wild are only found on natural islands like Stevens Island. Tuataras have been around since dinosaurs but still live today. I think its because they are a lot smaller than dinosaurs. Tuataras can also survive through very cold temperature.

When I first saw a tuatara I thought that its skin would be scaly, tough and hard but I was wrong it’s actually really smooth. A Tuatara is a reptile but not a type of lizard.

Tuataras actually have 3 eyes, mainly to find food. Two eyes are at the front and one eye is at the top of its head. Tuataras shed their skin annually.

Tuataras are carnivores so they love to eat insects and small things that move. So if you put your finger in front of a Tuatara it would think your finger is a juicy insect.

Now that you know every thing about tuataras its your turn to follow your dream and touch a Tuatara!    

Kayla         

Tuataras

Did you know that there is a living creature that survived from the dinosaur times? Do you know what that creature is?

If you said Tuatara you are correct.

Tuataras are not actually lizards they are reptiles and they are also relatives of the dinosaurs!

Have you ever been to the Southland Museum and Art Gallery? Well if you have you probably would have gone into the tuatara area and most likely seen a tuatara. 

Henry is one of the most popular tuataras in Southland! Henry has 3 girlfriends and is probably around 200 years old!

Lindsay is the curator that help breed the tuatara. After the female finishes burying her eggs Lindsay will dig out the eggs and put them into an incubator for extra protection. If you wanted more female tuataras you would put the incubator on a colder climate and for males you would put the incubator in a warmer climate.   

If a tuatara was to survive in a cold climate (the Ice Age) it would slow itself right down to a heartbeat every minute and they can wait up to an hour before they have to take a breath again.

Tuataras are amazing and if it weren’t for them there probably wouldn’t be any relatives of the dinosaur living today.

So we are very lucky to have tuataras in Southland.

By Natayla
 
Tuataras

Have you ever touched a tuatara before? If you haven’t, you might think that a tuatara is rough and sharp like dinosaurs? Well, you are wrong, but you don’t have to worry because I am going to tell you all about them!

Tuataras actually have soft and smooth skin. They have a feathery tail with a small sized head. Tuataras shed their skin yearly. Tuataras are green after shedding their skin. But if they haven’t shed their skin lately they might be brownish green colour.

Tuataras do not drink their water, they soak in it and it gets it through its skin. Tuataras can hold their breath for at least an hour! Tuataras actually have three eyes (one on their forehead) but the third one isn’t for seeing. With the two other eyes (the one that’s not on the forehead) are to see their food (they don’t use their scent) so if something moves they will eat it if its small enough to eat.

Tuataras don’t see colours. The only colours they see are black, white and shades of grey. The food they eat is bugs like huhu grubs. Tuataras are cold-blooded.

Now you know all about tuataras. So now you can be an expert on them! I told you not to worry!

By Janelle
Tuatara’s

You might have thought tuataras are lizards…. But they’re not. So let me tell you why they are so special and some facts about it too.

The tuatara is a very ancient reptile – it is the only survivor of a large group of reptiles that roamed the earth at the same time as the dinosaurs. The relatives of the tuatara died about 60 million years ago, which is why the tuatara is sometimes called the ‘living fossil’- Cool.

So if you didn’t learn enough information I’m going to tell more information.

The male tuatara is 60cm long, and weighs 1kg. It has a strong fence of spines along its back. The female tuatara is 10cm smaller than the male, and weighs 550g. They have soft squishy spikes. Tuatara is a Maori word meaning ‘Peaks on the back’.  When you look at a tuatara its easy to tell why they called it this. 

Tanesha

Facts about the Tuatara

Did you know, that the Tuatara’s skin is softer than you thought it would be?

If you think that the spikes are sharp, well you’re wrong! The skin is actually soft and feather-like. Their skin is nothing like Dinosaur’s skin!

Eggs

If the mother and father are kept in captivity, their eggs will hatch quicker. It would take about 10 months. If they were in the wild, it would take around 15 to 18 months.

Types of Soil

The temperature of the soil is the reason the tuatara will be either be a boy or a girl. If the soil is cooler, it is most likely to be a female, and if the soil is hotter it is most likely to be a male.

Tuatara’s teeth

Tuatara’s teeth are not separate. They do not have separate teeth like humans. Their teeth are all stuck together.

Did you know, that the Tuatara survived the Ice Age that made the Dinosaurs extinct!

 Charlotte