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Written by Branden Hart   
Thursday, 07 August 2008
A miracle of sorts has occurred at New Zealand’s Southland Museum. One of its oldest residents, a tuatara (closely related to lizards) named Henry, has had a change of heart. After four decades without any interest in sex, he is on his way to being a father, CNN reports.

"I had given up on old Henry," said Lindsay Hazley, the museum’s curator.

Hazley went on to say that Henry’s interest in the fairer sex recovered after a tumor near his reproductive organs was removed in 2002.

Though tuataras are known for longevity, Henry is the oldest to ever mate at the museum.Though tuataras are known for longevity, Henry is the oldest to ever mate at the museum. The mother of his children, Mildred, is estimated to be between 70 and 80 years old. Of the 12 eggs Mildred laid, 11 remain healthy, which is great for the animals, as one species of the tuatara (there are only two species remaining) has been on the endangered species list since the late 1800s.

Although I have reservations about keeping normally wild animals in captivity, I do think there is something to be said for zoos, museums and organizations around the world that use such an opportunity to bolster the populations of endangered species. After humans have hunted countless species to extinction, I have no complaints about people who are working to right the wrongs of the past so that once-endangered species can thrive again in their natural habitats.

As for Henry, something tells me he probably doesn’t have too many complaints either.
[CNN]
Branden Hart, a TheSequitur.com assistant managing editor, works as an editor in San Antonio.

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I agree with your sentiments on zoos. However, I'd like to point out that although hunting is a large reason for the extinction of many species, one cannot leave out our impact on habitat destruction. No matter if it's clear cutting rain forests, or the longer-term impacts of climate change, humans have made an impact on the other lifeforms on this planet. Just something that I thought should be said. P.S. 'Go Henry!'

Posted by A.T., on 08/08/2008 at 08:05

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