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Despite their remarkable adaptations, tuatara populations have faced significant threats since the arrival of humans and foreign predators. Historical evidence suggests that introduced species, such as rodents, decimated tuatara eggs, leading to a dire decrease in their population. By the 1990s, conservationists initiated breeding programs after realizing that only eight adults remained on Little Barrier Island. Thankfully, concerted efforts have fostered the growth of tuatara numbers, which have increased to nearly 300 thanks to this island's breeding initiatives.