Conservationists at New Zealand's Kaori Wildlife Sanctuary, are ecstatic after discovering a month-old tuatara, a rare reptile and the only living descendent of the lizard-like dinosaurs that inhabited the Earth, more than 65 million years ago.

While about 50,000 of these highly vulnerable critters are believed to be living on the surrounding islands, this eight-centimeter baby is the first one seen on the New Zealand's mainland, in over two centuries.

He is one of the babies born from the 200 adults brought in to the sanctuary to try revive the population of this dinosaur lizard. Sanctuary employees believe that while they have spotted just one baby, there may be others that hatched, from a clutch of eggs that was discovered in a nest about 16 months ago.

The name tuatara, means 'peaks on back' in Maori, New Zealand's local language - a reference to the crest of spiky scales that run down their back and tails. The reptiles can hold their breath for over an hour and have very unusual teeth - one row on the bottom and a double row on the top jaw.

However, their most unusual feature is their third eye, at the top center of their head. Though it has a retina lens and nerve endings, scientists believe it is not used for seeing. Rather, it acts as a light sensor, allowing this nocturnal critter to judge the time of day or season. However, by the time tuataras are six months old, the third 'eye' gets covered with scales and pigment, making it difficult to spot.

Tuataras, who are native to New Zealand, have not evolved at all and look exactly as they had done during the dinosaur age. Also, similar to a lot of creatures from that era, they can live up to 100 years. It is no wonder that scientists often refer to them as 'living' fossils! For more fun facts about this three eyed creature check out: www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-tuatara.html.