Biodiversity
The Southern Lakes Sanctuary contains a diverse range of indigenous fauna including high alpine species, forest birds, braided river birds, wetland birds, bats, and a high diversity of lizards. Among these are many threatened and at-risk species, including 17 species of birds, five species of lizards and one bat species.
By definition, none of these species are safe, and there is a significant risk that several will be lost forever, at current levels of protection. The Southern Lakes Sanctuary is doing its utmost to protect all of these species.
Threatened Species
Among the threatened and at-risk taonga found in the Southern Lakes Sanctuary are iconic birds such as the kea, whio and mohua, and rare and elusive lizards such as the orange spotted gecko and grand and Otago skinks. A full list of species that are threatened with extinction that will be protected by efforts of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary is given below.
Birds – Nga Manu
THREATENED – NATIONALLY CRITICAL
Australasian bittern / Matuku / Botaurus poiciloptilus
Wetlands: In the Matukituki, Dart and Rees river valleys, Lake Hayes, Matakauri Wetland and Queenstown area. Listen to their birdsong here
Black-billed gull / Tarāpuka / Larus bulleri
Braided rivers: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments and lower Shotover. Lakes Wānaka and Wakatipu shorelines.
THREATENED – NATIONALLY ENDANGERED
Kea / Nestor notabilis
Montane indigenous forests and subalpine & alpine zones: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments, Queenstown area and Richardson Mountains. Listen to the kea birdsong here
Black-fronted tern / Tarapiroe / Chlidonias albostriatus
Breeds in braided riverbeds: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments and lower Shotover.
Rock wren / Pīwauwau / Xenicus gilviventris
Bird of the Year 2022! High alpine grasslands, shrublands, bare rocks 900-2500m asl: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments. Listen to the rock wren call here.
THREATENED – NATIONALLY VULNERABLE
Australasian crested grebe / Puteketeke / Podiceps cristatus australis
Lakes: Hayes, Johnson, Wakatipu, Wānaka, Sylvan, Diamond and Hāwea. Listen to the crested grebe birdsong here.
Blue duck / Whio / Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos
Rivers in the Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments. Listen to the blue duck here.
Wrybill / Ngutuparore / Anarhynchus frontalis
Breed on braided riverbeds: Makarora, Dart-Rees, Matukituki
Banded dotterel / Pohowera / Charadrius bicinctus
Breed inland on braided riverbeds: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments and lower Shotover.
AT RISK – DECLINING
South Island pied oystercatcher / Torea Haematopus finschi
Breeds on braided riverbeds: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments and lower Shotover.
NZ pipit / Pihoihoi / Anthus novaeseelandiae
High alpine grasslands, tall tussock grasslands
South Island robin / Petroica australis australis
Indigenous beech forests: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments. Listen to the South Island robin here.
Marsh Crake / Kotoreke / Porzana pusilla
Wetlands: Lake Hayes, Matukituki, Glenorchy lagoon.
Fernbird / Mātātā / Poodytes punctatus
Known only from Glenorchy lagoon and Motatapu.
AT RISK – RECOVERING
Mohua / Yellowhead / Mohoua ochrocephala
Beech forests around Makarora, Greenstone-Caples, Dart, Routeburn catchments. Listen to the mohua here.
Kākā / Nestor meridionalis
Indigenous forests: Makarora, Matukituki, Greenstone-Caples, Dart-Rees catchments. Listen to the kaka here.
NZ falcon / Kārearea / Falco novaeseelandiae
Wide variety of habitats, present throughout the Project Area. Listen to the NZ falcon here.
AT RISK – RELICT
Buff weka / Gallirallus australis hectori (subspecies)
Wide variety of habitats, reintroduced to predator-free islands in Lake Wakatipu and Lake Wānaka. Listen to the buff weka here.
Lizards – Ngārara
THREATENED – NATIONALLY ENDANGERED
Otago skink / Oligosoma otagense
Schist outcrops including tors and rocky gully systems.
Grand skink / Oligosoma grande
Schist outcrops including tors and rocky gully systems.
THREATENED – NATIONALLY VULNERABLE
Takitimu gecko / Mokopirirakau cryptozoicus
Alpine bluffs, boulderfields, screes and forests at lower altitudes
Lakes skink / Oligosoma aff. chloronoton “West Otago”
Lowland or alpine tussock grassland, riverine debris (eroded stone), and screes/talus with woody vegetation, very damp basins and gullies.
AT RISK-DECLINING
Orange-spotted gecko / Mokopirirakau
Alpine boulderfields and screes
Jewelled gecko / Naultinus gemmeus
Indigenous forests, shrublands, and tussock grasslands
Kawarau gecko / Woodworthia “Cromwell”
Crevices in schist rock or below slabs/ boulders in rocky shrubland
AT RISK-DECLINING
Southern grass skink / Oligosoma aff. polychroma; Clade 5
Wetlands, grassland, shrublands, rocky shrubland/herbfield, screes, tussock, stony river beds and even cities
Southern Alps gecko / Woodworthia “Southern Alps”
Stable bases of scree slopes, rocky river terraces and shattered outcrops in dry sub-alpine
Pallid skink / Oligosoma aff. inconspicuum “pallid”
A variety of habitats from the lowland right up to at least 1825 m (a.s.l)
AT RISK-DECLINING
Short-toed gecko / Woodworthia “southern mini”
Inhabit subalpine habitat between approximately 700 m and 1700 m above sea level, in scree, rocky herbfield, tallus, loose rocks, and creviced bluffs (rarely)
Nevis skink / Oligosoma toka
Rock piles, river terraces, damp screes, boulderfields, and Dracophyllum shrublands
Humboldt skink / Oligosoma aff. inconspicuum “Humboldt”
Lowland right up to at least 1825 m (a.s.l) in habitats such as tussocklands, grasslands, scrublands, herbfields, wetlands, and rocky areas (e.g. rocky beaches, shrubland, screes, tallus, vertical rock walls)
AT RISK-DECLINING
Cryptic skink / Oligosoma inconspicuum
Lowland right up to at least 1825 m (a.s.l) in habitats such as tussocklands, grasslands, scrublands, herbfields, wetlands, and rocky areas (e.g. rocky beaches, shrubland, screes, tallus, vertical rock walls)
Eyres skink / Oligosoma repens
Found in rocky shrubland, talus, screes, tussockland and herbfield
Korero gecko / Woodworthia “Otago-large”
Inhabit beech forest, podocarp/hardwood forests, rocky grasslands, and rocky alpine areas up to 1300m
Bats – Pekapeka
THREATENED / NATIONALLY CRITICAL
Long Tailed Bat / Pekapeka / Chalinolobus tuberculatus
Beech forest and margins: Dart-Rees, Makarora & Matukituki Hubs
Invertebrates – kopaki
THREATENED – NATIONALLY ENDANGERED
Southern Alps giant wētā /Deinacrida pluvialis
Rocky, alpine/subalpine shrublands and grassland. Matukituki Hub