New Zealand Tuatara

New Zealand Tuatara  
Science & Nature model SS1014  
Product Dimensions: 10 x 5 x 3.5 cm  
Age: 3 years and up  

The Tuatara may look like a rather ordinary reptile, but it's a highly unusual creature. This New Zealand native has a unique, ancient lineage that goes back to the time of the dinosaurs.  

The tuatara is not a lizard; it is the only living member of the order Rhynchocephalia, which flourished around 200 million years ago. All other members of the order became extinct 60 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous period.  

Tuataras make their homes in coastal forest and low scrub, preferring areas with crumbly soil in which they can burrow.