00:04This is what is known as a tuatara. It's a creature which has lived on this planet for
00:08some 240 million years, predating even the dinosaurs. Today there are only around 50,000
00:15of them left in the wild, with fossil records indicating that they have gone extinct everywhere
00:19else in the world save for New Zealand. Which is why these guys are so special,
00:23as they are the first tuataras ever bred outside of the island nation. They were conceived at the
00:28Chester Zoo in the UK, and it took four decades to do so. They had to painstakingly recreate the
00:34reptiles' natural habitats, managing the flora and temperatures exactly, to mimic their current
00:39homeland. Tuataras are of particular curiosity to researchers, not only for their history,
00:44but because they also possess a third eye on top of their heads. However, while it has all of the
00:49hallmarks of an eyeball, including the retina, cornea, and lens, they don't use the eye to see.
00:54Rather, it's used to detect sunlight intensity and help them thermoregulate their body temperature.
00:59It is also used to manage their circadian rhythm, hormones, and help them navigate the world.
01:04Experts believe that the proliferation of rats and climate change has drastically affected
01:09Tuatara numbers globally.
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