Around a hundred invited guests and some fantastic weather greeted the Sanctuary’s newest arrivals on 19 October - 130 tuatara gifted into our care by their kaitiaki (guardians) Ngati Koata.
Mainland New Zealand’s only wild tuatara population will nearly treble thanks to a second transfer of the iconic ‘living dinosaurs’ from Ngati Koata, kaitiaki of New Zealand’s largest tuatara population on Takapourewa/Stephens Island.
Less than 18 months ago, tuatara were extinct in the wild on mainland New Zealand. However, in December 2005 an arrangement between Ngati Koata and Wellington’s award-winning Karori Sanctuary saw 70 Cook Strait tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) transferred from Stephens Island (Takapourewa) to the 225ha wildlife sanctuary in the capital.
Come face-to-face with our unique living fossils and talk to the experts who study them.
Some people call the Sanctuary �Jurassic Park�, referring to our trademark 2-metre high predator-proof fence. But recently this nickname has become even more appropriate, because the Sanctuary is now home to a prehistoric animal whose close ancestors were around with the dinosaurs.
The ancient and rare tuatara returned to its natural environment on mainland New Zealand for the first time in over 200 years, when 70 tuatara were welcomed to Wellington?s Karori Wildlife Sanctuary on Friday 2 December.
To continue celebrating Te Papa’s awe-inspiring Vivienne Westood & Jewellery exhibition, Museum Education Specialist Laura Jones will lead us through a fun and engaging session to explore identity through adornment.
