Some of the tuatara's behavioural features seem to be associated with an altering environment or habitat since the days of its early ancestors. Now a nocturnal burrower, the tuatara has a duplex retina containing two types of visual cell, presumably enabling the animal alike crocodiles and turtles,
to see at night and during the day. Accompanying this retina is a lave which reflects light back through the sense cells a second time.
TUATARA HAVE LOW METABOLISM
Tuataras have a low metabolic rate and a low capacity for low temperature activity as well as a long, slow growth. Tuataras only stop growing when they reach the age of 35, and they are able to live over 100 years old. Both genders of the tuatara become sexually mature when they are 15 to 20 years old.
However, the act of reproducing in tuataras is extremely slow. Only once every 2-5 years will the female be ready to mate. This is then followed by another 8 or 9 months of waiting for the female to lay her 6-10 eggs in a sunlit place. Another 11-16 months later and the baby tuatara will hatch.
ENVIRONMENT DECIDES GENDER
The gender of a tuatara depends on the environmental conditions it is in: the warmer the
soil surrounding the eggs, the greater the chance they will be male; the cooler the soil, the greater the chance they will hatch into females. Unfortunately, this poses a major threat to the population of tuatara: if the earth warms up due to a change in climate, then all the tuatara will hatch into males meaning that they will not be able to find mates (they do not reproduce asexually) and the tuatara will most likely die out.
Temperature for hatchling to be female: (22 degrees Celsius)Temperature for hatchling to be male: (21 degrees Celsius)
DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR
If the tuatara feels threatened, it will burrow into the nearest burrow regardless if it is occupied by another animal. The tuatara will often share a burrow with a seabird- the seabird goes out fishing during he day whilst the tuatara feeds at night.
Tuataras lead solitary lives in burrows, at times which they defend.
Males combat against each other, inflating their bodies, elevating their crests and darkening the skin between the shoulders and neck crest, in the process. Males display the same sort of set-up towards females before breeding.
NOCTURNAL FOR THE MOST PART
Tuataras are most active at night however they may occasionally bask close to the entrance of their burrows if it is sunny outside.
Tuataras are most active at night however they may occasionally bask close to the entrance of their burrows if it is sunny outside.