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Naultinus Gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation Into Tracking Tunnel Use As a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko

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Naultinus Gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation Into Tracking Tunnel Use As a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko Effectiveness of Rodent Control in Jewelled Gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation into Tracking Tunnel Use as a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko. Fiona Gordon A report submitted in partial fulfilment of the Post-graduate Diploma in Wildlife Management University of Otago 2010 University of Otago Department of Zoology P.O. Box 56, Dunedin New Zealand WLM Report Number: 247 Effectiveness of Rodent Control in Jewelled Gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation into Tracking Tunnel Use as a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko. WILM403 (Wildlife Management) research placement By Fiona H. Gordon Department of Zoology, University of Otago P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand E-mail: [email protected] Photo: F. H. Gordon A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the Diploma in Wildlife Management March 2010 Executive Summary Title: Effectiveness of Rodent Control in Jewelled Gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation into Tracking Tunnel Use as a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko. Study Site: SDHM and PCPA, Otago Peninsula (See foreword regarding use of code names). Author: Fiona Gordon Finish Date: March 2010 The jewelled gecko, (Natultinus gemmus) is an arboreal lizard endemic to the south island of New Zealand. Jewelled geckos are green in colour with unique dorso-lateral and ventro-lateral markings which allow them to be individually identified. The species is deemed to be in a state of gradual decline. Predation, poaching, and habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation have all contributed to the decline of jewelled gecko. This study investigates the effectiveness of rodent control as a possible measure to improve jewelled gecko habitat, comparing a site which had undertaken rodent control measures for 18 months (using flocoumafen baits, rat snap traps and Mk IV Fenn traps) with an adjacent unmanaged site. A difference was discovered in mean tracking rates between the two sites (2% in Rats, 7% in Mice) with less activity in the managed area. These results were not found to be statistically significant (p=0.82 in Rats, p=0.45 in Mice). i Tracking tunnel indexes were used to identify areas of high rodent activity to target control methods at the end of the study period. Results have been positive, with the landowner catching more rodents after adopting this method. Visual searches for jewelled gecko were also undertaken to provide baseline data for future comparison. A total of four individuals were detected during the study, sighting a single gecko in 7 of the 14 searches conducted, resighting one individual on four occasions. In this study, and in records collected by the landowner and Knox, twice as many jewelled gecko were sighted in the managed area (12 in managed vs. 6 in unmanaged site) as well as a larger proportion of adult females (25% vs. 17%) and juveniles (50% vs. 17%). Jewelled geckos are difficult to detect due to their cryptic markings, seasonal movements and opportunistic basking. This study also sought to determine if tracking tunnels could be used to reliably detect jewelled gecko presence. A range of baits were tested in tracking tunnels placed in an area with a high known density of jewelled gecko. Tracks were successfully obtained once using canned pear as bait. Further research into tracking tunnel use is recommended using pear as an attractant. If explored further, the study duration should be increased to improve statistical power of results. Keywords: Naultinus gemmeus, detection, tracking tunnel, rodent control, population survey, Otago Peninsula ii Effectiveness of Rodent Control in Jewelled Gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) Habitat, Including an Investigation into Tracking Tunnel Use as a Means of Detecting Jewelled Gecko. Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... i Foreword ........................................................................................................................ v Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ v 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Jewelled Gecko/moko-kākāriki ....................................................................... 1 1.2. Threats ................................................................................................................. 4 1.3. Objectives ............................................................................................................ 8 1.3.1. Effectiveness of Rodent Control ................................................................... 8 1.3.2. Detection of Jewelled Gecko Presence ....................................................... 10 1.3.3. Baseline Population Survey ........................................................................ 10 2. Methods ................................................................................................................. 11 2.1. Study Site ........................................................................................................... 12 2.1.1. SDHM ............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.2. PCPA .............................................................................................................. 14 2.2. Tracking Tunnels.............................................................................................. 14 2.2.1. Rodents .......................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2. Gecko .............................................................................................................. 17 2.3. Population Surveys .......................................................................................... 18 3. Results ................................................................................................................... 20 iii 3.1. Rodent Tracking Tunnels ................................................................................ 20 3.2. Gecko Tracking Tunnels ................................................................................. 23 3.3. Population Surveys .......................................................................................... 24 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................. 25 4.1. Tracking Tunnels.............................................................................................. 25 4.2. Rodent Abundance .......................................................................................... 27 4.3. Pest Species Interactions ................................................................................. 30 4.4. Pest Management Regime .............................................................................. 31 4.5. Gecko Behaviour as an Explanation for Life History Class and Number of Gecko Detected ........................................................................................................... 33 4.6. Other Investigations into Detection Methods for Jewelled Gecko ........... 35 5. Recommendations ............................................................................................... 36 Table of Tables............................................................................................................. 38 Table of Figures ........................................................................................................... 38 References .................................................................................................................... 39 iv Foreword Jewelled gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) are sought by international lizard collectors and though the taking of wild individuals is prohibited under the Wildlife Act 1953, poaching has been recorded previously on the Otago Peninsula (including an incident this summer where 16 individuals were taken) and is believed to have contributed to the decline of some gecko populations. Due to the potential risk of poachers identifying sites containing jewelled gecko, code names have been used in this report, such as PCPA and SDHM. The names of land owners are also not included for the same reasons. For further information on code names please contact the author. Acknowledgments I’d like to thank Shaun and Family for their friendship, thoughtful suggestions and countless cups of tea. A special thanks to Carey Knox, without whom this project would never have occurred, for getting me “hooked on geckos” and fuelling that addiction by showing me the ropes, and facilitating the process in so many other ways. I’d also like to thank Josh for being the voice of discipline when I was not; my family Jean, Denis and Emma Gordon for their love, support and patience; and Alma Gordon for being my role model. Arohanui, this is for you. v 1. Introduction 1.1. Jewelled Gecko/moko-k•k•riki New Zealand’s early separation from Gondwanaland, and subsequent geographic isolation, 80 million years ago has resulted in high levels of endemism, and the retainment of primitive forms amongst its biota (Chapple et al., 2009; Cooper and Millener, 1993; Gibbs, 2006). An example of this is New Zealand’s two genera of gekkonidae: the diurnal Naultinus commonly referred to as “green geckos”, and the nocturnal Hoplodactylus. There are nine known species of the Naultinus genera,
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