Tuatara: Sphenodontidae

Although neither species is widespread, the northern tuataras make their homes over a bigger area than the Brother Islands tuataras. The northern tuataras live on 26 islands off northeastern North Island and on four islands of Cook Strait off the northern coast of South Island. The Brother Islands tuatara lives only on North Brother Island in Cook Strait. Both species are burrowers and live in shady forests where the trees grow thick enough to block the sun almost completely from reaching the ground.