Reptile & Amphibian Forums

SOUTHLAND TIMES (Invercargill, New Zealand) 15 March 05 Rare gecko find thrills scientist
The Department of Conservation has uncovered new habitats of a rare New Zealand alpine gecko, helping to unravel the mysteries of this elusive and unique New Zealand species.
A field team led by lizard specialist Mandy Tocher has been running a survey programme with the aid of a lizard-sniffing border terrier in the South Island's remote alpine areas.
A DOC spokesman said the survey had been sponsored by Kathmandu retail chain with further support from the New Zealand National Parks Conservation Foundation.
Dr Tocher and her team had found the alpine gecko in new habitats, including multiple finds in the Darran Mountains and Cromwell alpine areas.
They were also following up an exciting lead near Mt Cook with the potential of being the first alpine gecko identified in Canterbury.The team's canine assistant, Putiputi rapua, has been trained to search specifically for geckos.
"This innovative technique is a world first for gecko conservation," Dr Tocher said.
Finding more sites was exciting, she said. "It presents another piece in the jigsaw towards gaining a clearer picture of the gecko's range, habitat and behaviour of this unique species.
"It is essential we learn as much about them as possible to establish their conservation status and ensure their survival."
New Zealand alpine geckos have only just been discovered and are relatives of the forest gecko.
The alpine gecko occupies rock bluffs, boulder piles and scree above 1000m and appears to be rare.
Its colour and pattern varies from drab brownish-grey to bold herringbone and chevron patterns to the whole animal being virtually covered in blotches of brick-red colour.
Dr Tocher and her team are keen to hear about sightings of geckos from the alpine zone of South Island mountains.
Rare gecko find thrills scientist

Interesting. Hey, I have a gecko-sniffing cat. I guess that doesn't really count.

Nathan Hall

The Geckophile Forums

TIMARU HERALD (New Zealand) 18 March 05 Big search for rare reptile in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park (Rhonda Markby)
There's a search on in the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park – a search so big it's being described as not the mythical hunt for the needle in the haystack, but the hunt to even find the haystack at this stage.
And it's a search so important to the reptile kingdom that it's being described as the hunt for the "kakapo of the lizard world".
It all started with the sighting of a very different looking gecko by two climbers earlier this year.
The pair were in the Beetham Valley when one of the men's head torches illuminated an 18-20cm long gecko with unusual herringbone markings, Department of Conservation ranger Ray Bellringer said yesterday.
That was enough for a team led by lizard specialist Mandy Tocher to head to the park last week, in the hopes of finding the unusual gecko.
Dr Tocher and her team have been running a survey programme for the rare native Alpine gecko which fits the description of what the climbers saw.
While the searchers, including the two climbers, went back to the Beetham Valley and turned over many a stone, only the more common Southern Alps gecko was found.
Mr Bellringer remains confident the climbers did see the rarer species as they were keen naturalists and quite clear in their description of the gecko.
AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile at Mt Cook Dr Tocher spoke to staff about the Alpine gecko to raise their awareness of the rare species.
If the gecko was to be found in the park, Mr Bellringer said it would be highly significant.
He described geckos as the "kakapos of the lizard world", referring to the native ground dwelling parrot which nearly became extinct.
The Alpine gecko has only recently been discovered. They live in rock bluffs, boulder piles and scree above 1000m and appear to be rare.
It's colour and pattern varies from drab brownish-grey to bold herringbone and chevron patterns to the whole animal being virtually covered in blotches of brick-red colour.
Dr Tocher has used a sniffer dog to uncover the habitats of the rare gecko in the Darran Mountains in Fiordland and in alpine areas near Cromwell.
The border terrier was not used at Mt Cook.
Dr Tocher described finding the new sites as exciting.
"It presents another piece in the jigsaw towards gaining a clearer picture of the gecko's range, habitat and behaviour of this unique species.
"It is essential we learn as much about them as possible to establish their conservation status and ensure their survival."
The survey had been sponsored by the Kathmandu retail chain with further support from the New Zealand National Parks Conservation Foundation.
Dr Tocher said she was keen to hear about sightings of geckos in the South Island mountains.
Big search for rare reptile in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park