Reptiles and amphibians of Aotearoa

As New Zealanders, birds are our great love and the 141 reptile species that live here tend to be disregarded, says herpetologist and wildlife photographer Sam Purdie. 

He's written a photographic identification guide to Aotearoa's reptiles and amphibians - A Naturalist's Guide to the Reptiles & Amphibians of New Zealand. 

Sam Purdie holding an awakōpaka skink (PHOTO: ©Samuel Purdie)

The awakōpaka skink (Oligosoma awakopaka) is one of New Zealand's rarest reptiles. It is only known from a single, sliver of habitat in Fiordland's mountains. (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The northern Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii) is New Zealand's largest gecko. They were once widespread on mainland Aotearoa, but were completely extirpated from mainland New Zealand. (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The kakerakau skink (Oligosoma kakerakau) was first discovered in Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park, when a single individual was found. It was almost immediately recognised as a new species. (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The northern striped gecko (Toropuku inexpectatus) is a highly elusive gecko known only from the Coromandel region (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The hura te ao gecko (Mokopirirakau galaxias) is an astonishing alpine gecko that was only discovered in 2018 (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The rough gecko (Naultinus rudis) is a gorgeous species of green gecko with unusual raised scales. They have suffered from extensive habitat modification and are now thought to be our most threatened green gecko. (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The Otago skink (Oligosoma otagense) is one of New Zealand's largest skinks and is endangered. (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The robust skink (Oligosoma alani) (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The orange-spotted gecko (Mokopirirakau _Roys Peak_) is a gorgeous alpine gecko that is often vibrant orange (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

The robust_skink Oligosoma alani is New Zealand's largest skink (PHOTO: © Samuel Purdie)

In Aotearoa, there are two different families of lizards – geckos and skinks, Purdie tells Lynn Freeman.

“Some people often mistake the wonderful tuatara for a lizard but that’s actually a completely different reptile entirely that belongs to its own order called [Sphenodontia] so they’re really unique.” 

Ten of our reptile species are considered 'nationally critical' which means they are highly endangered and at risk of extinction, Purdie says.

Some lizards have had fewer than five documented sightings, while others we only know via museum specimens.

“Many of our lizards are quite rare, they’ve been severely impacted by habitat modification, introduced alien predators and the like." 

Purdie, who is currently pursuing a master's in wildlife management, is an advocate for some of these lesser-known creatures, including native alpine lizards. 

While it’s not entirely understood how climate change is affecting alpine lizards, it’s expected to impact lowland lizards in various ways.

“By increasing temperatures, what you’re effectively doing is facilitating the movement of mammals higher and higher into the alpine, into areas where previously they wouldn’t exist, certainly not in high numbers, and with some of these lizards being so vulnerable, just sitting on rocks at night very vulnerable to predators, that’s not a good thing.” 

To elude avian predators, lizards have always used camouflage and they often elude Purdie's camera, too.

There are many he’s yet to lay his eyes on, including arguably one of Aotearoa’s most elusive lizards - the striped skink. 

“It’s this beautiful brown skink with these gorgeous cream dorsolateral stripes. We know so little about them and their distribution. They’re fairly widely distributed in the North Island but unlike many of our lizards, you can’t reliably go to a place and just find them because they’re so cryptic, they’re known to live tens of metres off the ground in trees and big epiphytic platforms. 

“I will find one someday – hopefully.” 

Related:

The secretive lives of reptiles (Afternoons)

Reptiles and Amphibians of New Zealand (Nights)