http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/3939983a6579.html
rare gecko will be freed within the next two weeks so the Conservation Department can learn something about its habits.
Next to nothing is known about the Coromandel striped gecko, found sunning itself on a wall at a party a Doc staff member was attending.
The species was discovered only in 1998 and just three specimens have been found.
Rob Chappell from Doc said the adult male was 79mm long –- excluding its 35mm tail, part of which had recently dropped off.
Before its release, a transmitter would be attached to the brown gecko so that more could be learned about how it lives.
"There's no reason to keep it any longer," Mr Chappell said.
"I've taken footprints so we know if it goes through any tracking tunnels –- that's about as good as we can do."
Knowing the lizard was still surviving in the wild was a "buzz" and there could be a sizable population as its brown skin helped it hide.
"We've had it in a box and people haven't been able to spot it," Mr Chappell said.
rare gecko will be freed within the next two weeks so the Conservation Department can learn something about its habits.
Next to nothing is known about the Coromandel striped gecko, found sunning itself on a wall at a party a Doc staff member was attending.
The species was discovered only in 1998 and just three specimens have been found.
Rob Chappell from Doc said the adult male was 79mm long –- excluding its 35mm tail, part of which had recently dropped off.
Before its release, a transmitter would be attached to the brown gecko so that more could be learned about how it lives.
"There's no reason to keep it any longer," Mr Chappell said.
"I've taken footprints so we know if it goes through any tracking tunnels –- that's about as good as we can do."
Knowing the lizard was still surviving in the wild was a "buzz" and there could be a sizable population as its brown skin helped it hide.
"We've had it in a box and people haven't been able to spot it," Mr Chappell said.