Stella Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 I have spent the last three days at Nga Manu Wildlife Sanctuary (Waikanae) helping a master's student with her mudfish trapping. At one random point one of the guys that worked their showed me their tuatara rearing facility. He managed to find one and put it on my hand for a few minutes! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Just amazing and totally unexpected! The skin on their body is really *really* soft and is quite loose, but the tail skin is quite firm and doesn't slide around when you touch it. Odd observation, but that was what really struck me. It really seemed quite unworried and sat there on my hand fairly calmly (but run off quickly when put back). It was probably 25cm long. And of course I didn't have my camera with me and there was no one else to see it! :roll: AND last night we went spotlighting for native mudfish and saw a whole lot! Imagine a really soggy forest with puddles on the forest floor. That is what they live in. We were just looking in the puddles nearest the boardwalk. We had tried the night before and saw none, but this time we saw at least 13 fry (circa 3.5-4cm) and two medium/small ones (circa 7cm). Very exciting and very rare. Life rocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 :bounce: :bounce: I am jealous as!! I'd love to handle a Tuatara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heir Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Wow thats awesome Stella! I love your little adventures! :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 tuataras feel awesome, nothing like what they look like they will dont let them bite you though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 sounds lovely!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 tuataras freeze when scared...rather a prehistoric survival method when you think about it especially when they see their mate beside them getting devoured by a T-rex tho I suppose we can forgive them as they are over 100million years old. as their relatives have died out they're sometimes referred to as a living fossil. AND last night we went spotlighting for native mudfish and saw a whole lot! Imagine a really soggy forest with puddles on the forest floor. That is what they live in. We were just looking in the puddles nearest the boardwalk. We had tried the night before and saw none, but this time we saw at least 13 fry (circa 3.5-4cm) and two medium/small ones (circa 7cm). Very exciting and very rare. Life rocks Sounds like a cool looking scene... If only it was killifish or cardinal tetras in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Oh how cool and yea always the way no camera for that priceless moment. is there any other reptiles or amphibians at Nga Manu? (been meaning to go for a visit for ages) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Thanks guys, it was awesome. One of those "did that *really* happen?" moments! Makes sense freezing when scared. Though this little guy did look around a bit, it wasn't stone-still. I find tuataras usually look fake, they are *too* still! If only it was killifish or cardinal tetras in there Yeah it was only a fish native to your own country which is also on the threatened list and probably under greater threat even than the tuataras (which are apparently dead easy to breed, raise and release, unlike mudfish). They are almost never seen unless trapped first. :roll: Each to their own, but I find it tremendously sad that people put more value on the exotic rather than the amazing animals in their own country. No wonder our threatened species list is so huge and growing by the year. MiNcIE, it is an awesome place, well worth a visit! On display they have green geckos, some cool brown geckos, tuatara and some other lizardy things.... sorry I didn't spend a whole lot of time in that section :oops: http://www.ngamanu.co.nz/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 and what proof do you have that you did do these things? :roll: are you sure you weren't dreaming? :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 :lol: well it is possible! And I only have one alibi for each event... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 and what proof do you have that you did do these things? :roll: are you sure you weren't dreaming? :lol: :lol: wok!!! behave!! :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 :lol: well it is possible! And I only have one alibi for each event... Oh NO... You have an imagineery friend too? :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 Hi Stella, Congrats on a wicked experience. The thing that supprises me every day is that the "spines" that run down their back are so soft...almost feathery. And dont let them bite... that hurts. Good luck for next time. Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Once again you have had such a cool! experience Tuataras are so cool, but I so want to go spotlighting for mudfish You with out your camera in hand I does not happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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