At-risk native lizards return home
Sixteen gecko, six tiny offspring and an ornate skink have been returned to their home in Palmerston North’s Turitea Reserve.
The lizards were captured and taken to a place of safety while the transmission towers for Mercury’s Turitea Wind Farm in the Tararua Ranges were built.
The lizards were released yesterday to the coprosma propinqua bushes that are ripe with their favourite berries at a ceremony led by Rangita¯ne.
Speaking for Rangita¯ne, Terry Hapi said the return of the wildlife to their native habitat was a demonstration of partnership in taking responsibility for the impact the project had on the environment. ‘‘This is their home. They were here before us.’’
He said their release would help ensure that future generations would grow up enjoying the opportunity to do something as simple as seeing a lizard.
Hapi said it was a tribute to those who had cared for them in captivity that so many were taken, but so many more returned.
The lizards, masters of camouflage, were collected after several searches led by ecology specialistswildlands, and were kept in the care of lizard expert Joel Knight under permit from the Department of Conservation.
Knight looked after them for 14 months, spending evenings catching moths and insects to support their diet.
The six babies were born in his care, and at least one of the other females returned to the wild as a pregnant gecko.
Knight said the tiny babies received no care from their parents after being born live, rather than as hatchlings from eggs.
Once they absorbed their amniotic sacs, they were alone in the world. ‘‘They are solitary creatures.’’ That was why they were each set free, one by one, to establish their own home range without competingwith each other.
Representatives from Mercury, Rangita¯ne, Department of Conservation, Wildlands, Mercury and contractors Vestas and Downer were given the opportunity to handle the gecko and place them back into the bush deep in the reserve.
Mercury portfolio general manager Phil Gibson said part of the company’s long-term view for investing in renewable energy was to be a good custodian for its sites.
Mercury’s $465million development stands ready to start accepting turbine blades for the 33-turbine northern stage of the wind farm.
Preparations have begun for erecting another 27 towers in the southern stage.