Tuataras – The Living Fossils
Tuataras are reptiles, but they aren’t lizards. Their closest relatives died out during the time of the dinosaurs 60 million years ago. Tuataras are sometimes called living fossils because their family is so old.

Tuataras are reptiles, but they aren’t lizards.
Tuataras, unlike lizards, like cool weather. They’re also nocturnal. They live in only one place on the planet – 30 small islands off the coast of New Zealand. Here, they are protected by the New Zealand government.

All About Tuataras: It takes up to 9 months for a mother tuatara to lay her eggs. She places them in a burrow, where they incubate for another 13 months before they hatch.
Fun Facts about Tuataras for Kids
- Tuataras live a long time. They don’t grow up until they’re 15 to 20 years old – sort of like people. They can live for up to 100 years.
- Tuataras only have babies every 2 to 5 years. It takes up to 9 months for a mother tuatara to lay her eggs. She places them in a burrow, where they incubate for another 13 months before they hatch. During cold weather, the eggs stop growing until warm weather returns. Most lizard eggs hatch within a few weeks.
- Tuataras eat mostly insects. Sometimes they eat birds, eggs or small lizards. Their teeth wear down as they get old. Old tuataras have to eat soft food, just like many old people.
- Tuataras sometimes share a burrow with a sea bird. The bird goes out during the day and the tuatara goes out at night.
- Baby tuataras are active during the day so the adults don’t eat them at night.

Tuataras eat mostly insects. Sometimes they eat birds, eggs or small lizards.
Tuatara Vocabulary
- Relative: member of the family
- Fossil: remains of ancient animals and plants
- Burrow: hole in the ground
- Incubate: develop
- Nocturnal: awake at night
Learn More All About Tuataras
Watch this fun documentary video to know more about the Tuataras:
A documentary video of facts about the tuataras.
Tuatara Q&A
Question: Are tuataras endangered?
Answer: Yes, tuataras now live on islands that are free of rats and other predators to help their numbers grow.
———————————–
Question: Are most new babies male or female?
Answer: Warm weather while the eggs are incubating makes male babies. Cooler weather makes girl babies. If the world keeps getting warmer, all the babies will be boys.
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Tuataras info? Take the FREE & fun all about Tuataras quiz and download FREE Tuataras worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
Cite This Page
You may cut-and-paste the below MLA and APA citation examples:
MLA Style Citation
Declan, Tobin. " Tuataras Fun Facts for Kids ." Easy Science for Kids, Jan 2021. Web. 25 Jan 2021. < https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-tuataras/ >.
APA Style Citation
Tobin, Declan. (2021). Tuataras Fun Facts for Kids. Easy Science for Kids. Retrieved from https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-tuataras/
Search
We've recently added
- Microbiology Worksheet
- All About Microbiology
- Fingerprint Identification Experiment
- Forensic Science
- Stem Cells
- Stem Cell Worksheet
- Buffalo – Part of the Bovidae Family
- Buffalo Differences Worksheet
- Draw the Buffalo Worksheet
- Who invented it?
- Famous American Inventors (Top ten and their Inventions)
- Vaccines and Antibodies
Recent Posts in Animals
Sponsored Links :
