Tuataras

[Gaujo]

Are they cept as pets?

[Gaujo]

They look really cool.

[leoares27]

Do you mean, "are tarantulas kept as pets?" If that is what you mean, then yes...

[Bangswitch]

Nope they are almost extinct and exporting from Australia good luck.

[JuliusSqueezer]

New Zealand actually. There are just a hand full left. You are looking at some serious jail time or possible lynching for even breathing on one funny. 2 species are already extinct. Those that are left are basically living dinosaurs and haven't changed a thing about themselves in over 140 million years. Neat little reptiles all in their own class. They aren't lizards even though they resemble them. Reptiles break down into snakes, lizards, chelonians, crocodilians, and Tuatara but the Tuatara are seldom mentioned due to obscurity. odd little beasts. They live long like tortoises do. You think a 20 year commitment to a snake is a lot, if tuataras were kept as pets, you would have to plan ahead for your grand kids and possibly even great grand kids to take over care. But don't sweat it. It ain't gonna happen.

[Sleepy_FF]

at the risk of sounding stupid.. what IS a tautara?

[morti]

Interesting reading in the Wikipedia:
Tuatara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tuataras, like many native New Zealand animals, are threatened by habitat loss, and introduced species such as mustelids and rats. They were long confined to 32 offshore islands free of mammals. A mainland release occurred in 2005 in the heavily fenced and monitored Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.

Looks like the NZ government is taking some positive steps toward their conservation. Hopefully it is as successful as gator conservation was here.

[Umpaidh]

They have some in a zoo near me, planning on going to look at them soon
Same zoo where the virgin komodo dragon birth was