The fish is named after Gollum from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, due to their large eyes and preference for swampy habitat.
Department of Conservation river ranger Pat Hoffman said finding galaxias in the stream was exciting and reinforced the need to protect their habitat.
"Gollum’s conservation status is threatened — nationally vulnerable, the same as South Island takahē," he said.
"They’re unique to our region and only found in Southland, so if we lose them here, they’re gone from everywhere. You might even say they’re ‘precious’.
"In December, we were doing an eDNA (environmental DNA) survey of the Waimatuku catchment when we spotted the juvenile Gollums in many of the waterways. The eDNA backed this up with positive results at nearly every test site."
Gollums stay in freshwater all their lives, and never enter the ocean. However, intriguingly, they are also found in streams on Stewart Island. It is thought they got there during an ice age when a land bridge was present.
Waimatuku Stream recently became part of Doc’s nationwide Ngā Awa river restoration programme. Through Ngā Awa, Doc and Te Rūnaka o Ōraka-Aparima are working together with local councils and landowners to enhance freshwater species and ecosystems in the catchment.
"We’re now looking at ways to find out more about their populations and ensure they can thrive here," he said.
"If you live in the Waimatuku catchment and are interested in doing some restoration on your property, we’d love to hear from you to see how we can support your ideas." — APL
