Southern Alps geckos likely killed by scrub fire

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-09-16 03:00

New Zealand

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A study of at-risk native geckos in the Mackenzie Basin found a drastic drop in numbers after a scrub fire, as well as several dead geckos. Researchers surveying the Woodworthia “Southern Alps” geckos at two sites in 2022/23 and 2023/24 found that the rate of sightings more than halved after the 2023 scrub fire at Pukaki Scientific Reserve, dropping from an average of over 10.5 to just 4 per hour. Six dead geckos were reported in the post-fire survey, while the site unaffected by fire had a much smaller drop in sighting rate and no dead geckos were seen. The study authors say the wildfire is the simplest explanation for these observations and, given the geckos' low reproductive rate, if fires continue at this frequency it is unlikely the population would recover between burns.