Dr Jo Monks on lizards | Conservation blog

They’re small, slithery, and secretive – why should we care about them?

Lizards are a crucial part of the native fauna and ecosystems of Aotearoa. A visit to a predator-free offshore island leaves you in no doubt that, prior to the introduction of predatory mammals, lizards were everywhere in high numbers. They are important pollinators and seed dispersers of many native plant species. Conservation that allows lizards to thrive restores these functions and helps to create healthy ecosystems.

Is it true that gecko’s bark?

Yes! Some gecko species have a distinctive ‘barking’ call that is audible to humans. The green gecko in the lower North Island has been recently named the ‘barking gecko’ for this reason.

What has your work involved?

My lizard work has focussed on developing a better understanding of Aotearoa lizards –where they are found, their populations, and their primary threats. Another important aspect has been working out how to monitor gecko and skink species to understand their status and conservation needs. It’s only through monitoring that we can know whether our conservation efforts are making a difference.

Career high points?

Developing and leading an alpine gecko research project focusing on two incredible gecko species in southern New Zealand – the orange spotted gecko in West Otago and the Cascade gecko in southern Westland – has been a highlight. These geckos live at high altitude and are active during the night, which is amazing for a cold-blooded creature.

My team has been working to understand their activity patterns and reproductive cycle and how to monitor these species. We found geckos emerged at night-time temperatures as low as zero degrees and basked partially hidden during the day. We also found they are likely to have longer pregnancies (more than two years) and hence reproductive cycles than any other lizard in the world.  

It’s been a privilege to have been involved in several lizard translocations – where part of the population is moved to a new location to provide greater security for the species. The translocation of te kakahu skinks, known from a single island population on Te Kakahu/Chalky Island, to predator-free Anchor Island, is one example. And the great news is that the translocated population has established and is on track for doing well long-term.

One of the best things has been working with my amazing “lizard whānau” – a group of passionate lizard experts from across Aotearoa.

What are the big challenges in looking after our lizards?

The biggest challenge is to develop effective predator control tools for the full range of predators that lizards are vulnerable to, including mice, hedgehogs, weasels, feral cats and wasps (in addition to rats, stoats and possums), and to develop integrated pest control planning that will benefit the full range of biodiversity. No small task!

The other major challenge is to limit the effects of human development and encroachment into the scarce remnant habitats of some of our most special lizard species.

Where have we made progress?

The eradication of introduced mammals from some offshore islands has created safe spaces for Aotearoa lizards, drastically improving the prospects for species that live there.

Lizard conservation on the mainland is our biggest challenge now. Many people are working towards understanding what is needed to achieve this for different species in different ecosystems. For now, our shining light is the grand and Otago skink programme in eastern Otago where large-scale, comprehensive predator control and predator-proof fences have enabled recovery of these iconic skink species.

How can people help?