To which country is the tuatara endemic?

The tuatara is endemic to New Zealand. Although it resembles a lizard, it is the only living member of Rhynchocephalia, an ancient reptile order that was once widespread and diverse.

The living tuatara is classified as Sphenodon punctatus. Its Māori name refers to the prominent “peaks” along its back. Rhynchocephalians appeared in the fossil record during the Triassic Period and reached their greatest diversity during the Jurassic, but tuatara are now their sole surviving representatives.

Tuatara once lived across New Zealand’s North and South Islands, but introduced mammals—especially rats—eliminated them from the mainland before modern conservation programmes restored some populations. For many years, surviving tuatara were largely confined to predator-free offshore islands. Conservation work has included habitat protection, translocations, and captive breeding.

A frequent mistake is calling the tuatara a lizard simply because of its body shape. Lizards and snakes are squamates, whereas tuatara belong to a separate reptile lineage. Another misconception is that they are found throughout the South Pacific: their natural modern distribution is restricted to New Zealand, including protected offshore islands and sanctuaries.