Beautiful gecko, likely female, crawling around in matagouri/ kanuka/ Coprosma propinqua, enjoying a sunny day.
This is my first log so I’m hoping I have done this correctly. Stay tuned as I have a lot more to add in the coming days.
Not the best photo as when I pulled the camera out, I got a tsunami warning on my phone so had to make other plans! I was later told that this was a black turtle but any confirmation would be appreciated…
c.1.5 m length, birthing folds visible.
Found dead on the beach and photographed by Les Turia and shared here with his permission
Resting on beach. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/seal-slumbers-st-kilda-sands
Special babies on their way!
Small population in montane herbfield
Locality is obscured of course, but the vague location is in central, western Fiordland. Well over 50 km away from any other known Mokopirirakau gecko populations and between the known distributions of Takitimu gecko and Cascade gecko. To my eye some traits point to Takitimu gecko (such as a short tail relative to SVL and a pink tongue), but genetic testing next winter will be needed to help place this population.
I am desperately trying to identify what this marine creature is. The phots and videos I took didn't do it justice but here is the story;
I thought I was seal to start off with as it was swimming against the tide in the estuary. However as it came closer it was evident it was not a seal but soemting much larger, IT WAS NOT A LOG. It was very much alive and stopped 3 times until it saw us and dived under the water. We were probably 200 metres away. Around 1.5 metres was out of the water in this photo with a good 3 metres at least under the water. One of the video links is attached below.
Alpine rock skink (Oligosoma sp.) Unfortunately one of my favorite skinks is yet to be described so is not on here yet, but hopefully we will be able to name it over the next year or two.
Happy New Years people! Orange-spotted gecko (Mokopirirakau "Roy's Peak")
Lizard survey led by Mr Knox. South Westland. Rock fields at about 1000m asl. 4 individuals shown, including a neonate which had a SVL of 31mm.
Rockhopper skink (Oligosoma eludens). Known to hop between rocks, or between shrubs and rocks, when approached, hence the name. Known from between 1,300-1,700 metres across 3 mountain ranges in Oteake Conservation Park, where it is patchily distributed. Particular affinity with Dracophyllum islands amongst scree.
This species isn't on here, so we will go with the genus. Mokopirirakau “Okarito”
(broad-cheeked gecko)
Seen on the ferry crossing
Pretty sure it was a Brydes Whale, very short dorsal fin. It surfaced several times just out of the entrance to the ferry terminals.
Seen basking in mānuka scrub
Beachdrift hightide
103mm x 28mm
51g
@lloyd_esler @clinton
Dead young albino seal about 1.5 m long washed up on Manly Beach, Whangaparaoa.
Adult female 19 metres. DNA results confirm Blue Whale, suspected to be Pygmy Blue - further testing will confirm this. Possibly dead up to two weeks before beaching, shark feeding damage apparent. No other obvious external injuries or entanglement noted.
Translocated population that has so far persisted for 16 months. Plants thriving - though many infected with Albugo lepidii.
Lepidium solandri, scattered plants growing on quartz pebble pavement
Craspedia argentea, rare, growing on gravel pavement
Abundant along beach - probably the best population for this species on the island, and the stronghold for it in New Zealand as a whole.
Untagged