Found only in New Zealand, the Tuatara is the last surviving member of an ancient order of reptiles — making it a genuine living fossil with no close relatives alive today. 

​

It has a remarkable set of teeth — two rows on top and one on the bottom, with the lower row slotting perfectly between the upper two like a saw blade, ideal for shearing through hard-bodied insects. These teeth are not replaced — the Tuatara simply grinds them down over its lifetime, and older individuals eventually eat softer food as a result.

​

Perhaps its most extraordinary feature is its third eye — a fully formed structure on top of its skull complete with a lens and retina, visible only in juveniles before it becomes covered in scales. It cannot form images, but is thought to help regulate circadian rhythms and sun exposure.

 

It can also live for over 100 years, and continues to grow slowly well into old age — making it one of the longest-lived reptiles on Earth!