BREEDING OF TUATARAS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27690, 21 June 1955, Page 11

BREEDING OF TUATARAS

COMMENT ON AUCKLAND STATEMENT (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 20. The report from Auckland on the breeding of tuataras in captivity presumed claims by the zoology department of Victoria University College that had never in fact been made, said Mr W. H. Dawbin, Wellington tuatara expert and university lecturer in zoology, today. “I agree that Professor Thomas, of Auckland, and a number of other biologists such as Professors Dendy. Howes, and Swinnerton have hatched tuataras in captivity,” said Mr Dawbin. “I had pleasure in acknowledging these pioneers by name in the first account of Victoria’s tuataras, and in all accounts, including the first newspaper report published in Wellington, have emphasised that tuataras have been hatched previously in captivity. “As far as the written reports available to me go, most of these earlier hatchings died within a few months of hatching, whereas the young hatched at Victoria more than five years ago are still thriving in captivity. • “These latter animals are giving information on the activities, growth, and habits of young tuataras never previously available in detail, as far as I know. Early accounts, to my knowledge, gave no details of habits and growth, because the majority died or were dissected soon after hatching. The novelty about the present young at Victoria is that they are providing new information on young tuataras,” he said.