Skink size shrinks after storm surge

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-06-20 03:00

New Zealand

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Coastal flooding from storms is a risk to native lizards, say researchers who monitored two skink and gecko species before and after a storm surge on Wellington's south coast. While total numbers weren't too different seven months on, there were fewer lizards in areas that had flooded, and skinks were bigger on average in unaffected sites, but not in previously flooded ones. Threatened coastal lizards around the motu are facing more flooding, and the scientists say we need to find out if measures like predator control and improving their habitat could help them survive climate change.