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Geckos and Skinks: the remarkable lizards of Aotearoa
252 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 14, 2025
What a wonderful book!
Each of the 22 chapters is a brief story of the discovery of one or two gecko or skink species, ordered geographically from south to north, as shown on a small outline map of New Zealand. Beautiful and generous full colour photos show case each one.
Each of the stories begins with a third person point of view, a habitat description and a description of the skink or gecko found. And what descriptions! Their silken, soft skin, delicately patterned with scales that range in colour from deep earthen chocolate to electric greens and sunset orange.
The issues that impact on the population or the management methods used or trialled form the chapter focus. The feelings and actions of key people are also described, sometimes with a sense of excitement, curiosity or occasional heartbreak. Native species are highlighted, with glancing reference to introduced species, CITES and other border actions. The text is hopeful, constructive and positive.
The book rightly pays tribute to Tony Whitaker, whose records on the distribution and ecology of lizards in New Zealand and the Pacific can not be overstated. His life's work as formed the foundation of the growing knowledge of reptiles in Aotearoa.
Anna captures not only the surprising number of different geckos and skinks in Aotearoa New Zealand, how vulnerable they are to habitat loss and predation, but just how little is known and difficult it is to find and manage each species.
Many stories remain untold. Tony Whitaker and I, for example, spent days and nights scouring the scree slopes of the Rangitata catchment, spotlighting grey scrub on farmland and searching cracks on the summit of Mt Potts.
We found alpine geckos and McCanns skinks galore and by chance I lifted a rock and caught the first Rangitata skink. Tony and I sat on the scree taking turns counting its scales with a hand lens until he was satisfied it was a new species. He could hardly contain his excitement, giving me a big kiss on the lips!
Much remains to be discovered and to be done reverse skink and gecko population declines and Anna gives the lay person and expert alike an excellent overview of past and present conservation efforts. There is an appendix listing known species and a short bibliography of recent identification guides. The helpful appendix lists people, plants, places, lizards and other things.
Highly recommended and so glad I bought this book.
Each of the 22 chapters is a brief story of the discovery of one or two gecko or skink species, ordered geographically from south to north, as shown on a small outline map of New Zealand. Beautiful and generous full colour photos show case each one.
Each of the stories begins with a third person point of view, a habitat description and a description of the skink or gecko found. And what descriptions! Their silken, soft skin, delicately patterned with scales that range in colour from deep earthen chocolate to electric greens and sunset orange.
The issues that impact on the population or the management methods used or trialled form the chapter focus. The feelings and actions of key people are also described, sometimes with a sense of excitement, curiosity or occasional heartbreak. Native species are highlighted, with glancing reference to introduced species, CITES and other border actions. The text is hopeful, constructive and positive.
The book rightly pays tribute to Tony Whitaker, whose records on the distribution and ecology of lizards in New Zealand and the Pacific can not be overstated. His life's work as formed the foundation of the growing knowledge of reptiles in Aotearoa.
Anna captures not only the surprising number of different geckos and skinks in Aotearoa New Zealand, how vulnerable they are to habitat loss and predation, but just how little is known and difficult it is to find and manage each species.
Many stories remain untold. Tony Whitaker and I, for example, spent days and nights scouring the scree slopes of the Rangitata catchment, spotlighting grey scrub on farmland and searching cracks on the summit of Mt Potts.
We found alpine geckos and McCanns skinks galore and by chance I lifted a rock and caught the first Rangitata skink. Tony and I sat on the scree taking turns counting its scales with a hand lens until he was satisfied it was a new species. He could hardly contain his excitement, giving me a big kiss on the lips!
Much remains to be discovered and to be done reverse skink and gecko population declines and Anna gives the lay person and expert alike an excellent overview of past and present conservation efforts. There is an appendix listing known species and a short bibliography of recent identification guides. The helpful appendix lists people, plants, places, lizards and other things.
Highly recommended and so glad I bought this book.
February 11, 2026
love it! i can’t wait for my gecko/skink sighting now knowing so much more (only had luck once…
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews