Nelson’s lizard population is easily missed – these secretive creatures spend much of their time hiding under rocks but they are a much-valued member of our ecosystems.
The Nelson Green Gecko is of particular importance being endemic to our region. Like birds, lizards are threatened by animal predators and habitat loss. They are also under threat from the plague or rainbow skink, an Australian skink that is spreading into the South Island. Lizards play a critical role in our ecosystems; they pollinate native plants and disperse native plant seeds through eating fruit.
Predation by introduced mammals (e.g. cats, rats, mustelids) is the biggest threat posed to New Zealand lizards - without predators, their populations flourish. Loss and/or fragmentation of habitat through development, habitat degradation by introduced browsing mammals (e.g. pigs, livestock, deer, goats, possums), removal of logs and rocks, and excessive collecting also contribute to on-going declines of lizards over all parts of New Zealand.
Lizards are cold-blooded animals, absorbing heat from the environment. Many lizards bask in the sun to get warm, and if they aren’t warm enough they have difficulty moving. The body temperature that a lizard can achieve has a profound effect on important life-traits: low temperatures can lengthen pregnancy, and can even result in unborn offspring death.
Nelson Green Gecko
