(CNN) -- Although he's 110 years old and hasn't shown interest in sex for over four decades, Henry is going to be a dad.A tuatara, a rare species descended from dinosaurs, Henry is a lizard-like creature whose species has been endangered since the 1890s. They are now only found on a handful of New Zealand's offshore islands.
Henry is the oldest tuatara to mate at Southland Museum on the country's South Island. His best years as a lady lizard's man may be ahead of him, though, because he's actually middle aged. His species can live well past 200.
"I had given up on old Henry," said curator Lindsay Hazley, who said he had to keep Henry in "solitary confinement" because he attacked females who approached him to mate.
Henry began to overcome his reptile dysfunction in 2002 when veterinarians realized a lump in the animal's nether regions was a cancerous tumor. They removed it and, over the next few years, his attitude changed.
"If I had a tumor underneath my [genitals], when girls were passing by, I'd be a very grumpy boy, too," said Hazley, who has cared for tuataras at the museum for 35 years.
In March, Henry mated with Mildred, whose age is estimated between 70 and 80. Last month, she laid 12 fertile eggs -- 11 of which are healthy.
Senior Citizen Sex- Not What You Think
I thought that this story was kind of cool. In fact when I am 110 I intend to emulate the lizard king. ;)
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As a dinosaurologist, I was astounded by the comment in the 'story' of a tuatara (which is not a lizard either) being a descendant of Dinosauria. This is a prime example of how the media -- which is often anti-intellectual and populated with those who are NOT print journalists -- clutters Syberia with non-science.
It sure looks like a lizard to me. If it is not a lizard what the H@!! is it. What I would like to know is, does have 3 toes or 5. How do you tell the difference in between a lizard and this thing. Please explain.
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