A new species of Gecko discovered on the Auckland's West Coast at last has its own official name: the Korowai.
The species was first found in 2014 and after a decade of research the reptile can officially be, as the scientists put it, 'described' With just 30 living in Muriwai Regional Park, the Korowai are considered a nationally vulnerable species. Now urgent conservation work is being carried out to protect the lizards from threats, including four wheel driving on the beach and hundreds of mice. Reporter Louise Ternouth and Camera Operator Marika Khabazi went gecko spotting at the beach. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default default/index.html?videoId=6345859909112
The most recent species of gecko to be ‘described’ in New Zealand has been officially named. Local iwi, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara has gifted the name Korowai gecko (Woodworthia korowai) to the endemic new species in a paper published in the scientific journal .