Rare lizards change plans for chairlift

An area within Cardrona Alpine Resort has been declared by the Department of Conservation as a nationally significant site for alpine lizards following the discovery it had one of the highest diversities of lizards known on the New Zealand mainland.

The site, just below the resort’s Captain’s Basin, is also home to some of the nation’s rarest lizards, including the nationally vulnerable orange-spotted gecko and lakes skink species.

Ecologist Mandy Tocher, who spent last summer researching the lizard populations on the mountain, said all the species of lizards were found elsewhere in New Zealand but not all together as they were at Cardrona.

"It is an incredible place in terms of lizard diversity — that is the short story.

"The soils are thick, there is a lot of invertebrate life, it is a very warm place, it is sheltered from the southerly winds and it has a whole range of rock habitats which would foster diversity as well," she said.

The lizards were first discovered when surveying was being carried out on the proposed footprint of the Pringle’s Quadchairlift, which was originally scheduled to be installed in time for winter this year.

General manager Bridget Legnavsky said a significant effort was made by the Cardrona team, working closely with scientists and the Department of Conservation, to create a plan that would mitigate any potential impact on the lizard species caused by the lift construction.

She said her team continued to work throughout this year with one of New Zealand’s leading herpetologists on a detailed study of the population and a lizard management plan and sought authorisation from Doc under the Wildlife Act so it could proceed with the lift installation.

However, because of the high significance of the area and the lizard species involved, Doc made the decision to not approve the Wildlife Act authorisation, she said.

"Though we are very disappointed we will not be able to install the Pringle’s lift, we support the position Doc has taken to protect these rare and endangered lizards," Ms Legnavsky said.

The resort had surveyed other lift locations and was looking to build the lift on a different a site.

"We are carefully considering our options [and] ... working hard to have this lift installed for winter 2021," she said.