The endangered reptiles appear to have hatched from eggs which were not spotted when Invercargill's tuatara were moved from their museum home in February 2023.
The move was part of the project to demolish and rebuild the city's museum.
“Following the discovery, our living species team did a sweep of the former enclosure and discovered three more babies hiding in the soil,” Ms Rain said.
“It was certainly an unexpected surprise and we are so pleased to find these resilient animals so healthy and well.
“The contractors working in the museum are doing so with the utmost care as they could come across many hidden treasures in the old build.
"We are so grateful they came across these experts of survival.”
While the old enclosure had been closely searched, it was likely the eggs had yet to hatch at the time.
“Another exciting aspect of this discovery is that the babies were discovered in the area where the Brothers Island tuatara were housed, and these particular tuatara were not thought to be capable of breeding as they had not done previously during the time there had been a breeding programme in place.”
Demolition works were paused in this area of the museum until the all-clear was given, she said.
“Tuatara dig a nest in the ground to bury their eggs and they can be very difficult to find. We have gone back in to undertake a further thorough check.”
Mana whenua representative Evelyn Cook, of Waihōpai Rūnaka, who helped in the animals’ recovery, said it was incredible to learn that the tuatara had hatched and grown and survived.
“We are excited to see them and we are looking ahead to how we can ensure their health and wellbeing. I also look forward to reaching a decision with our iwi partners as to where they may live in the future.”
Invercargill’s new tuatara enclosure, which is set to open to the public on Saturday, June 8, can house up to 18 tuatara.
“With 17 residents already with us, we will need to look at other homing options for these new babies when they are old enough to be translocated,” Ms Rain said.
