New Zealand
Move over Viagra... this is what I call getting a significant second wind. For the past forty years, Henry had shown no interest in sexual relations. That is until recently undergoing successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. From the time the tumor was gone, Henry's once lacking libido has done a 180 and he is well on his way to becoming a proud papa. Did we mention that in addition to being a cancer survivor, Henry is over 100 years old? Our re-born Don Juan is a tuatara, an endangered lizard-like creature that descended from dinosaurs found on a few of New Zealand's islands. Henry is the oldest tuatara ever to mate at Southland Museum.
"I had given up on old Henry," said curator Lindsay Hazley. He kept Henry in "solitary confinement" because he would attack females who showed interest in him as a mate. But in the years since veterinarians removed the lump in 2002, his mental health seemed to be improving too: "I say that he had a personality transplant at the same time," Hazley said Thursday. "If I had a tumor underneath my [genitals], when girls were passing by, I'd be a very grumpy boy too."
In March, Henry mated with Mildred, whose age is estimated between 70 and 80, and 11 healthy eggs are developing. Last month, she laid 12 fertile eggs, 11 of which remain healthy. And since tuataras can live well past 200 years old, these two love birds may just be hitting their prime! Hot stuff!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/08/06/lizard.reproduces/index.html?iref=newssearch
Thanks to Garrett for alerting the Goose to this lizard love story!
