Editing Tuatara (section)

====Northern tuatara====
[[File:Tuatara karori head.jpg|thumb|upright|Tuatara at the [[Karori Wildlife Sanctuary|Karori Sanctuary]] are given coloured markings on the head for identification.]]
''S.&nbsp;punctatus punctatus'' naturally occurs on 29&nbsp;islands, and its population is estimated to be over 60,000&nbsp;individuals.<ref name=encyclo/> In 1996, 32&nbsp;adult northern tuatara were moved from [[Moutoki Island]] to [[Moutohora Island|Moutohora]]. The carrying capacity of Moutohora is estimated at 8,500&nbsp;individuals, and the island could allow public viewing of wild tuatara.<ref name=recovery/> In 2003, 60&nbsp;northern tuatara were introduced to [[Tiritiri Matangi Island]] from Middle Island in the [[Mercury Islands|Mercury group]]. They are occasionally seen sunbathing by visitors to the island.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/getting-involved/students-and-teachers/field-trips-by-region/tiri-education-kit/15-part-4-reptiles-167-174.pdf | title = Translocated reptiles |volume = Part 4: Reptiles | work = Tiritiri Matangi: An education resource for schools | publisher = Department of Conservation, Government of New Zealand }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Tiritiri Matangi Island field trip | url = http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/for-teachers/field-trip-resources/field-trips-by-region/auckland/tiritiri-matangi-island/teaching-resource/ | work = Tiritiri Matangi – An education resource for schools | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140329033704/http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/for-teachers/field-trip-resources/field-trips-by-region/auckland/tiritiri-matangi-island/teaching-resource/ | archive-date = 29 March 2014 | publisher = Department of Conservation, Government of New Zealand | date = November 2007}}</ref>

A mainland release of ''S.p.&nbsp;punctatus'' occurred in 2005 in the heavily fenced and monitored [[Karori Wildlife Sanctuary|Karori Sanctuary]].<ref name="karori"/> The second mainland release took place in October&nbsp;2007, when a further 130 were transferred from [[Stephens Island, New Zealand|Stephens Island]] to the Karori Sanctuary.<ref>{{cite news |title=130&nbsp;tuatara find sanctuary |date=20 October 2007 |newspaper=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]] |place=Wellington, NZ |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4243952a7693.html |access-date=19 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210145408/https://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4243952a7693.html |archive-date=10 December 2008}}</ref> In early 2009, the first recorded wild-born offspring were observed.<ref>{{cite news |author = Easton, P. |date=20 March 2009  |title=Life will be wild for new boy |newspaper=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]] |place=Wellington, NZ |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/2278328/Life-will-be-wild-for-new-boy/ |access-date=20 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614014223/http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/2278328/Life-will-be-wild-for-new-boy/ |archive-date = 14 June 2009}}</ref>