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111-year-old reptile finally becoming a father

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-06 13:46

WELLINGTON - Officials say an indigenous New Zealand reptile regarded as one of the last living remnants of the dinosaurs will become a father for the first time in decades at the age of 111.

A bone and drawing of a mammal-type reptile, dicynodon, is presented at a local museum in Lisowice, southern Poland August 5, 2008. [Xinhua]

Henry the tuatara and his younger mate Mildred produced a dozen eggs last month after mating at the Southland Museum on New Zealand's South Island in March.

Tuatara curator Lindsay Hazley said Wednesday Henry has lived at the museum's special enclosure for Tuatara since 1970 and had shown no interest in sex until he recently had a cancerous growth removed from his genitals. He was now enjoying the company of three females and might breed again next March.