Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Rotokare Scenic Reserve, in South Taranaki, has today welcomed a new resident: the elusive striped skink – with the support of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger project partner Ngāti Tama and local mana whenua Ngāti Tupaia.
This vulnerable taonga species now has a new home, thanks to a partnership between the Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust and Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass project.
The striped skink (Oligosoma striatum), known for its lightning-quick movements and distinctive pale stripes, is one of the country’s most cryptic and scarcely sighted lizards.
The team from the Mt Messenger Bypass project has constructed a temporary holding area at Rotokare Scenic Reserve for any striped skinks discovered during the project’s construction.
The area will provide a safe environment where the skinks can acclimatise to their new surroundings before exploring the broader reserve through the treetops.
Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust Conservation Manager Fiona Gordon says striped skinks haven’t been found during formal lizard surveys at Rotokare, but it’s believed they were once present as they’ve been located in pockets around South Taranaki.
“We are excited to offer a safe home for this at-risk skink species in a space completely free of rodents, one of their main predators,” she says.
So far three striped skinks have been encountered during Te Ara o Te Ata’s work in Parininihi. Specialist ecologists relocated them to Auckland Zoo temporarily, ahead of rehoming at Rotokare. Any further striped skinks found by the project will be transferred directly to Rotokare.
The Trust is also working with the Department of Conservation to secure a permit to transfer further striped skinks from other locations across Taranaki if needed. It is hoped that skinks will flourish in their new home, creating a secure population in South Taranaki.
About the striped skink
Native to New Zealand, these reptiles are usually found in lowland forests, farmland, and swamps, where they live everywhere from the forest canopy to leaf litter on the forest floor. They are currently listed on the Department of Conservation’s Threat Classification System as ‘At Risk – Declining,’ However, accurate population monitoring remains a challenge due to their secretive habits.
About Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust
The 230-hectare Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust is a community-led conservation organisation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of native biodiversity within the predator-free Rotokare Scenic Reserve, located in South Taranaki.
About Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass
Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass is a major roading project designed to improve safety and efficiency on State Highway 3 in northern Taranaki. Alongside its construction objectives, the project includes comprehensive environmental initiatives aimed at protecting local ecosystems.
