Welcome

EcoGecko Consultants provide ecological consultancy services specialising in herpetology (lizards, frogs and tuatara) in New Zealand. Our work is undertaken by providing surveying, monitoring, mitigation and management services, and advice reporting. Taxonomic work and applied scientific research are also our core objectives. Our clients include the New Zealand Government (through Landcare Research, Department of Conservation, and Ministry of Science and Innovation), regional councils, ecological consultancies, industrial developers and community organizations. We take on many projects across the country. Our business is unique because we specialise primarily in herpetology.

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The Importance of NZ's Lizards, Frogs and Tuatara

Lizards: Lizards are the only other major indigenous vertebrate taxa in New Zealand besides birds and occupy almost all ecosystems. There are two types of lizards in New Zealand: geckos and skinks.

Currently only half of at least 100+ species are described.

Sixty-eight percent of our lizard fauna are threatened or at risk.

New Zealand lizards are unique in terms of endemism and evolutionary significance, but these unique attributes also put lizards at enhanced risk from introduced predatory mammals.

Lizards are critical for ecosystem processes and function, with ecological roles such as pollination, frugivory and associated seed dispersal, or honeydew feeding. Lizards also are predators and prey, and have various generalist and specialist roles in ecosystems and can be exceptionally abundant when released from predation pressure by mammals.

Lizards are only now emerging as iconic flagship and species for monitoring the outcomes of conservation management or ecological restoration.

Frogs: There are four extant species of endemic native frog in New Zealand, which are considered among the most primitive frogs in the world—all of these frogs are endangered. They occur in small relict populations with as few as 300 individuals for some species. Extinction is a very real possibility for some of our frog fauna. There is now an international focus on the alarming global decline and extinctions of many species of amphibians. Conservation managers are very concerned about the high risk of loss of New Zealand's primitive frogs. Four agents of decline have been put forward: (a) introduced predators, (b) habitat modification, (c) toxic chemicals in the environment, and (d) the lethal chytrid fungi, which may be more prevalent with global warming.

Tuatara: Tuatara are the sole representatives of the Sphenodontia, an ancient order that once flourised 200 million years ago. Tuatara currently occur on 32 offshore islands. Once extinct on the New Zealand mainland due to invasive predatory mammals, tuatara were reintroduced into a mainland wildlife sanctuary in 2005.

All New Zealand native lizards, frogs and tuatara and their habitats are absolutely protected by the Wildlife Act 1953 and the Resource Management Act 1991.

Our Services

The services we provide include:

Surveying

Surveys are more comprehensive than initial assessments, using a variety of detection techniques and typically establish a species inventory for a site.

Monitoring and Analysis

Monitoring projects have an underlying experimental design with a purpose to detect a population trend or status for informed management decisions. We are able to use a variety of analytical methods, ranging from simple indexes, to occupancy and mark-recapture modelling.

Assessments of Environmental Effects & Planning to Avoid, Remedy and Mitigate Such Effects

We have expertise in undertaking Assessments of Environmental Effects (AEEs) for lizards and frogs in matters relating to the Resource Management Act 1991, and in the development of management plans to 'avoid, remedy and mitigate' these effects. We also undertake initial assessments to determine project scope and requirements. These are generally suited for developers and ecological consultancy companies, as they provide initial feedback on possible solutions and the likely costs for further work.

Translocations

We are able to co-ordinate and undertake herpetofaunal translocation projects, such as to a biodiversity sanctuary, and provide post-translocation follow up population monitoring.

Radio Telemetry

We have recently acquired expertise in radio-telemetry studies of lizards.

Reports

We can produce reports that include desktop assessments, or the write-up of research (either field research, review or advice).

Research Interests

At EcoGecko Consultants, we have particular interest in the following research areas:

The NZ Lizards Database and the development of similar databases for other taxa

Herpetofaunal surveying and monitoring in all ecosystem types including grasslands, forest and alpine zones

Developmental research of new survey and monitoring techniques

Developing management and recovery plans for biodiversity sanctuaries and conservation management of species

Translocations into biodiversity sanctuaries and offshore islands; and monitoring the population vital rates of such populations

The contribution of captive breeding and management programmes to endangered species, particularly by the genetic management of fragmented and founder populations using assisted breeding.

Taxonomic and biogeographic research