Photo: SUPPLIED / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
- DOC says two geckos discovered on Motunau Island off the coast of North Canterbury could be the oldest in the world
- The two Waitaha geckos were first discovered and marked in the 1960s by late herpetologist Tony Whitaker
- The age record for the Waitaha gecko was previously 53 years after a gecko was found on Motunau a decade ago
Two geckos discovered on an island off the North Canterbury coast could be the oldest in the world, the Department of Conservation says.
The two Waitaha geckos were first discovered and marked in 1967 and 1969 respectively by the late herpetologist Tony Whitaker.
Department of Conservation (DOC) Banks Peninsula-based biodiversity ranger Kaitlyn Leeds said monitoring visits to Motunau Island occur every five years. The geckos were found during a recent visit to the island.
"We were all blown away to find two of the original marked lizards."
The oldest gecko was named 'Antoinette' in Whitaker's honour, and estimated over 64 years old, Leeds said.
The second gecko was estimated to be aged 60 and was named 'Brucie-Baby', an ode to Whitaker's nickname for his former work colleague Bruce Thomas.
Whitaker's detailed record-keeping enabled staff to accurately date the ages of the lizards, DOC said.
Leeds said the cool climate of Motunatu, a predator-free island, had been a factor.
"They do look a bit skinnier with looser skin but to be honest, you wouldn't know they were 60-plus years old.
"Interestingly, female geckos - like female humans - tend to live longer than males. Maybe it's also their lifestyle."
Waitaha geckos were mostly found in lowland Canterbury and deemed "at risk and in decline".
The age record for the Waitaha gecko was previously 53, after a gecko was found on the same island in 2015.
Photo: SUPPLIED / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Dating geckos on Motunau Island was made possible after Whitaker individually marked 133 geckos with 'toe-clip identification' between 1965 and 1967.
Doc biodiversity ranger Allanah Purdie said although toe-clipping of the lizards no longer occurred, it had provided means to learn how long individual geckos could live for.
"It's just amazing they've existed on this postage stamp of an island since before the moon landing," she said.
Photo: SUPPLIED / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Herpetologist Marieke Lettink has been travelling to Motunau Island for 20 years. She said the discovery was a career highlight and that the geckos had "bucked the trend globally" by living for such a long time.
"They really are remarkable," she said. "I didn't hold out any expectations that we would find two of Tony's old mates still living. In global terms, these native geckos are just so unique. We know of no other species of gecko living so long - the average around the world for gecko is only a decade."
Purdie said she felt privileged to be able to study the geckos.
"These geckos are such an important part of our native landscape. We have such unique species in New Zealand, and these two are now world record holders.
"I'm hoping that we find Antoinette and Brucie-Baby when we do our next visit to the island in five years. Who knows how long these two will live for."
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