59 EMROP: Waihi North Project WAI-985-000-PLN-LC-0001_Rev0 clean 5.3.6.3 Lizard release strategy All lizards will be hard-released (i.e. no soft-release pens) into appropriately enhanced habitat at the approved relocation site. It is expected that habitat enhancement will assist in achieving high survival and persistence of relocated lizards at the release site. All relocated lizards will be recorded and basic demographic (sex, morphometric) measurements, and where possible, identification (ventral or dorsal identification photographs) information will be recorded. 5.4 LIZARD HABITAT ENHANCEMENT AND AUGMENTATION A combination of lizard habitat enhancement (enhancing existing habitat) and habitat augmentation (recreating habitat) will be required to ensure that highest probability of survival of relocated lizards and maintain indigenous lizard populations within the wider WNP area over the long-term. In its current state, the habitat at the proposed relocation site is considered suitable for a variety of indigenous lizards. However, the relocation of additional individuals into an already occupied environment raises concerns about potential intra- and inter-specific interactions such as direct competition (e.g. aggressive interactions, competitive exclusion) and resource availability/ competition (e.g. refuges, food supply, access to new territories). To mitigate these potential risks, management provisions will be required to enhance the relocation site, and its surrounds, to ensure that important resources are adequately provided for and the overall carrying capacity of the site is raised. To enhance this area sufficiently to receive salvaged lizards, it is recommended that the following actions are implemented: 1) Site protection (e.g. stock-proof fencing); 2) Removal of pine trees; 3) Provision of supplementary refuge structures; 4) Implementation of mammalian pest control; and 5) Native revegetation planting. Each of these elements are briefly discussed below. 5.4.1 Lizard habitat protection (stock-proof fencing) Long-term security of the lizard release site is important to ensure relocated lizards successfully establish and persist into the future. To ensure that lizard habitat remains as undisturbed as possible, permanent stock-proof fencing will be provided around the full extent of the relocation site (SNA 166).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2NDg3