Protecting New Zealand Lizards

The first aim of this project is to gain an understanding of lizard diversity and abundance on a small site on New Zealand’s Paekakariki-Pukerua Bay escarpment through lizard surveys and monitoring programmes. On this small site, an aim is then to improve animal pest control regimes so they protect existing lizard populations and allow these populations to recover over a five to ten year period. If pest control is successful, the project will explore options for translocation from local lizard breeding programmes. Other aims are to develop a template to guide other community groups and to help increase community awareness of the key role lizards can play in New Zealand’s ecosystems.