Descendants of dinosaurs making fathers at the age of 111

Henry, considered one of the last living fossils of prehistoric reptile animals, will become a father in the next few months after 40 years of inability to mate because of a tumor.

Tuatara is a lizard-like reptile and lives only in New Zealand. They are considered one of the last surviving descendants of the dinosaurs that once ruled Earth about 225 million years ago.

Henry has "dated" Mildred, a female tuatara aged 70 to 80 years, in New Zealand's Southland Museum, from early 2008. The couple produced 12 eggs in mid-July. The eggs will hatch within the next 6 months.

Photo of Henry in 2001. Photo: dailymail.co.uk.

'Uncle' Henry lived in a special area for tuatara at the Southaland Museum since 1970 but showed no interest in finding partners and mating. It was only recently that the person who discovered the culprit made the 'instrument' become sensitive to sex. It is a tumor in its genitals. After the tumor was removed, Henry's 'pillow' desire was restored. It is currently taking care of three female tuatara and can mate for the second time in March next year.

'With tuatara, sexual excitement can last for several years. So we have to be patient, 'said Lindsay Hazley, who is in charge of the tuatara area

Lindsay said Henry never had sex in captivity, but it was unclear whether he had ever done the same thing in nature. Male tuatara entered adulthood at the age of 20. According to scientists' estimates, the number of tuatara in New Zealand is about 50,000.