A shore skink basks on a rock on Kawhitu/Stanley Island, Coromandel. Photo / Jake Osborne - New Zealand Herpetological Society
A shore skink basks on a rock on Kawhitu/Stanley Island, Coromandel. Photo / Jake Osborne - New Zealand Herpetological Society
An “intensive” survey is set to get under way in the Coromandel to better understand lizard populations.
The Department of Conservation (DoC), Waikato Regional Council and Thames-Coromandel District Council were preparing a memorandum of understanding to “identify efficiencies in the three parties’ permitting processes when shared interests overlap at coastal sites”.
It revolves around lizard populations.
The regional council knows moko skink, shore skink and raukawa gecko populations have been found at some Coastcare sites but their populations are in decline nationally.
The moko skink is classed as being “at risk”, while shore skink numbers are declining; raukawa gecko numbers are not threatened.
Coastcare groups are partnerships between the local community, iwi, district councils and the Waikato Regional Council, and work to protect and restore coastal areas.
Thames-Coromandel District Council monitoring in 2023 and early 2024 found large populations of the native lizards at many Coastcare sites, protected by the Wildlife Act, which meant “certain types of work would need to be done with permits from the Department of Conservation”.
DoC confirmed through Whitianga operations manager Nick Kelly that any coastal restoration work which would involve major earth works required their permission.
“DoC is currently working together with the Thames-Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council on a memorandum of understanding which identifies possible efficiencies in the three parties’ permitting processes when shared interests overlap.”
While the district council reported large populations of native lizards in 2023 and early 2024, the regional council questioned those claims.
“No, to clarify we have not undertaken population density studies per se, just that tracking tunnels and visual searches showed presence of quite a few lizards in some places,” a spokesperson for Waikato council said.
“Nationally, these species are in decline; however, the efforts by the local Coromandel community to restore lizard habitat through native plantings, and undertaking predator control, may be contributing towards localised recovery of lizard populations.”
A male shore skink.
The Waikato Regional Council confirmed it had more work to do with an “intensive” lizard survey at Coastcare sites, with suitable habitats, which would be contracted out later this year.
It would then draft a lizard management plan that would inform its next steps for each site.
When asked where the monitoring sites in the Coromandel were, how long they had been monitored for and if there were historical population figures, the regional council said it did not share that information as it was sensitive.
Thames Coromandel District Council coastal restoration co-ordinator Andrea Whitehead said: “At many sites, we can continue working without a permit by using hand tools, instead of heavy machinery, and avoiding negative impacts on native wildlife.”
“However, Coastcare is putting some larger-scale restoration projects on hold to seek the proper permits before starting earthworks.”
Moko skinks, which have been found in the Coromandel and on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, have been mostly wiped out on the mainland.
“Our council and Coastcare are still planning many coastal planting events across eastern Coromandel, and these will have the additional support of the Coastal Tiaki team.
“Coastcare is also working with DoC to determine the best course of action across all its restoration sites, and a five-year coastal restoration plan will be put in place to map out future planting events.”
