Henry (tuatara)

Individual tuatara

Henry

Henry in Invercargill

Species| Sphenodon punctatus (Tuatara)
Sex| Male
Hatched| c. 1890s – c. 1910s (115–135 years old)
Nation from| New Zealand
Known for| Oldest known living tuatara
Having an offspring at an old age
Residence| Animal Reserve at Queens Park[1]
Offspring| 11
Named after| Henry VIII
Close up of Henry's head

Henry (born c. 1890s – c. 1910s) is a tuatara who resides in Queens Park, in Invercargill, New Zealand. He was hatched on Stephens Island, which is north of the South Island, and was moved to the Southland Museum and Art Gallery in 1970. He had a cancerous tumour removed from him in 2008 and became a father for the first time in 2009, which received world-wide media attention. In 2024, amidst the demolition and rebuilding of the Southland Museum, Henry was moved to a new habitat with other tuataras within Queens Park.

## Biography

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Henry was hatched some time between the 1890s and the 1910s on Stephens Island, off the north coast of the South Island, and is believed to be the oldest tuatara alive today.[2][3] Henry arrived at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery in 1970.[4] He was named after Henry VIII and, according to tuatara keeper Lindsay Hazley, "The plan was for Henry to have lots of wives."[3] The staff tried to get him to breed with a female named Mildred in the 1980s but he bit her tail off.[4] He fought with other tuatara, including a male named Albert.[3] Because he was aggressive, he was kept alone.[4] A cancerous tumour was removed from Henry's genital region in 2008, which caused Henry's libido to come back.[4]

In 2009, Henry became a father for the first time, at the age of about 111. This surprised experts, who believed that it was too late for Henry to have offspring. The female, named Mildred, who Henry had previously spurned in the 1980s, was believed to be in her seventies.[4] She laid 12 eggs, of which 11 hatched after about 223 days.[4][5] This gathered worldwide media attention.[3] In 2013, staff became concerned that Henry had become infertile. It was not known if it was because of his age, his lifestyle, or the cancer which had been removed about five years prior.[6]

In 2009, the film Love in Cold Blood was made, which featured the romance of Henry and Mildred. It won the Best New Zealand Film and Best New Zealand Emerging Talent awards at the 2010 Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival.[7] In 2015, Prince Harry, who was christened as Henry, met the tuatara at Invercargill Airport as part of a tour of the country.[8]

In 2019, the Southland Museum and Art Gallery announced that they would move most of their tuatara to the Marlborough Sounds, but keep Henry, Mildred and a few other tuatara.[9] In June 2024, Henry and 16 other tuatara were moved to a new habitat in Queens Park while the Southlands Museum is being demolished and rebuilt,[10] after being kept out of public for a year. The opening ceremony saw over 2,000 attendees, and was advertised as Henry's housewarming.[2][11][12] It was reported in 2024 that Henry "holds the world record for living in captivity at more than 46 years."[13]

## References

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1. ^ "Tuatara Enclosure". Project 1225. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
2. ^ a b "He's 130, with three eyes and two girlfriends: meet New Zealand's beloved tuatara Henry". The Guardian. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
3. ^ a b c d "Henry the tuatara's keeper calls it a day after 52 years". The Southland Times. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
4. ^ a b c d e f "Henry the tuatara is a dad at 111". The Independent. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
5. ^ "Tuatara becomes a father for the first time, aged 111". NZPA. 26 January 2009. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
6. ^ "Fears Henry the tuatara might be infertile". The Southland Times. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
7. ^ "Henry and Mildred: a love story". The Southland Times. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
8. ^ "Prince Harry meets reptilian namesake in New Zealand". BBC News. 10 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
9. ^ "Bulk of world famous tuatara to leave Invercargill". Stuff. 24 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
10. ^ "Project 1225 | Invercargill and Southland's museum". Project 1225. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
11. ^ "New tuatara enclosure to be officially opened". Southland Times. 22 May 2024. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
12. ^ "Henry's housewarming: Tuatara return to Queens Park next month". The Southland Times. 22 May 2024. Archived from the original on 11 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
13. ^ "'Important taonga for the city' get new digs". Otago Daily Times. 8 June 2024. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.

## External links

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* Love in Cold Blood, a short film about Henry

*[c.]: circa