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Tuatara  Research  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary  –  to  1  September  2014    Tuatara  Research  Team,  Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago    Leader:  Associate  Professor  Alison  Cree  alison.cree@otago.ac.nz    Tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus),  an  iconic  rhynchocephalian  reptile  found  only  in  New  Zealand,  were  translocated  to  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary  in  late  2012.    The  translocation  occurred  following  prior  research  over  several  years  to  establish  the  thermal  suitability  of  Orokonui  for  tuatara.  The  translocation  involved  juveniles  and  adults  from  the  genetic  stock  of  Stephens  Island  (Takapourewa),  and  proceeded  with  the  support  of  Ngāti  Koata  (kaitiaki  of  tuatara  on  Takapourewa)  and  Kāti  Huirapa  Rūnaka  ki  Puketeraki  (mana  whenua  for  Orokonui).  Ongoing  monitoring  of  the  translocated  animals,  including  comparisons  between  captive-­‐reared  and  wild  juveniles,  involves  the  assistance  of  Orokonui  staff  and  volunteers.    Publications  to  date  are  described  below,  in  order  of  appearance.    

   

Some  of  the  Cree  lab  group  photographed  with  ‘practice’  tuatara  for  radio-­‐telemetry  at    Orokonui  Ecosanctuary,  November  2012.    

Rear,  L  to  R:  Merenia  Wright,  Sophie  Penniket,  Alison  Cree,  Sam  Botting,  Stephen  Adolph  (visiting  researcher).  Front,  L  to  R:  Sophie  Gibson,  Scott  Jarvie.  Absent:  Anne  Besson.  Photo:  collection  of  Alison  Cree    

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A  cold-­‐adapted  reptile  becomes  a  more  effective  thermoregulator  in  a  thermally  challenging  environment  

Anne  A  Besson  and  Alison  Cree    Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago,  P.O.  Box  56  Dunedin,  New  Zealand  

Oecologia  (2010)  163:  571–581    DOI:  10.1007/s00442-­‐010-­‐1571-­‐y    We  conducted  a  laboratory  experiment  to  test  whether  tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus)  modify  their  thermoregulatory  behaviour  in  response  to  different  thermal  environments.  We  provided  tuatara  with  three  thermal  treatments:  high-­‐quality  habitat  (their  preferred  temperature  (Tsel)  could  be  reached  for  8  h/day),  medium-­‐quality  habitat  (Tsel  available  for  5  h/day)  and  low-­‐quality  habitat  (Tsel  available  for  3  h/day).  The  medium-­‐quality  habitat  mimicked  the  availability  of  Tsel  for  copper  models  of  juvenile  tuatara  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary  in  autumn.  We  found  that  tuatara  were  capable  of  adjusting  their  thermoregulatory  behaviour  in  response  to  different  thermal  constraints,  by  basking  more  actively  when  their  environment  becomes  more  challenging.  This  result  has  implications  for  the  conservation  of  the  species.  If  tuatara  are  translocated  to  cooler  regions  (e.g.:  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary),  they  should  adapt  to  their  new  thermal  environment  by  engaging  in  more  effective  thermoregulatory  behaviour.  

 

A  juvenile  tuatara  seen  basking  several  months  after  release  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary.  Photo:  Alison  Cree.    

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Is  cool  egg  incubation  temperature  a  limiting  factor  for  the  translocation  of  tuatara  to  southern  New  Zealand?  

Anne  A.  Besson1,  Nicola  J.  Nelson2,  Cathy  M.  Nottingham1  and  Alison  Cree1  

 1Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago,  PO  Box  56,  Dunedin  9054,  New  Zealand    2Allan  Wilson  Centre  for  Molecular  Ecology  and  Evolution,  School  of  Biological  Sciences,  Victoria  University  of  Wellington,  New  Zealand  

 New  Zealand  Journal  of  Ecology  (2012)  36(1):  90-­‐99  http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/3012    In  this  study,  we  examined  whether  cool  incubation  temperature  is  a  limiting  factor  for  the  reintroduction  of  tuatara  to  Orokonui.  Cool  southern  temperatures  may  produce  only  females  as  tuatara  is  a  species  with  temperature-­‐dependent  sex  determination,  with  females  being  produced  at  low  incubation  temperatures,  and  males  at  high  incubation  temperatures.  In  2007,  we  experimentally  translocated  tuatara  eggs  to  the  Ecosanctuary  and  found  that  temperatures  at  those  sites  would  produce  only  female  hatchlings.  However,  additional  assessments  of  soil  temperatures  at  other  sites  in  2008  indicated  that  some  sites  were  warm  enough  for  males  to  be  produced.  In  2012,  tuatara  were  translocated  to  the  sanctuary,  and  monitoring  of  female  nesting  behaviour,  including  nest  locations  and  resulting  temperatures,  is  currently  underway.      

   Anne  Besson  checks  on  a  temperature  data  logger  alongside  a  tuatara  egg  in  a  nest  at  

Orokonui  Ecosanctuary,  March  2014.        Photo:  Alison  Cree    

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Adjustment  of  juvenile  tuatara  to  a  cooler,  southern  climate:  operative  temperatures,  emergence  behaviour  and  growth  rate    RSR  Mellob,  AA  Bessona,  KM  Harec,  V  Fayd,  E  Smithd  &  A  Creea  a  Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago,  Dunedin,  New  Zealand  b  HRT  Oil  &  Gas,  Manaus,  Brazil  c  Research  Office,  Victoria  University  of  Wellington,  Wellington,  New  Zealand  d  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary,  Dunedin,  New  Zealand    New  Zealand  Journal  of  Zoology  (2013)  40(4):  290-­‐303  DOI:  10.1080/03014223.2013.775167  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2013.775167    In  this  paper  we  investigated  how  captive-­‐reared  juvenile  tuatara  adjusted  to  outdoor,  predator-­‐protected  pens  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary.  We  found  that  the  tuatara  were  able  to  reach  their  preferred  body  temperature  in  summer  by  basking,  and  that  burrows  offered  protection  in  winter  from  freezing  temperatures.  We  compared  the  growth  rates  of  these  Orokonui-­‐reared  juveniles  to  those  of  juveniles  at  four  other  captive-­‐rearing  facilities  in  New  Zealand  and  found  that  they  were  within  a  similar  range.  The  captive  Orokonui  juveniles  grew  at  a  faster  rate  than  wild  juveniles  on  Stephens  Island  (Takapourewa)  in  Cook  Strait.  We  concluded  that  the  climate  at  Orokonui  was  suitable  for  growth  of  juvenile  tuatara,  providing  encouragement  for  a  free  release.    

 Left:  Captive-­‐reared  juvenile  tuatara  being  checked  by  Valerie  Fay  (volunteer)  and  Tahu  Mackenzie  

(Educator).    Right:  Juvenile  tuatara  being  measured  for  snout-­‐vent  length  (SVL).  Photos:  collection  of  Alison  Cree    

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Attaching  radio  transmitters  does  not  affect  mass,  growth  or  dispersal  of  translocated  juvenile  tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus)    Scott  Jarvie1,  Edward  A  Ramirez1,  Jignasu  Dolia1,  Stephen  C  Adolph1,2,  Philip  J  Seddon1  and  Alison  Cree1  1Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago,  P.O.  Box  56  Dunedin,  New  Zealand  2Department  of  Biology,  Harvey  Mudd  College,  301  Platt  Boulevard,  Claremont,  California  91711  USA    Herpetological  Review:  in  press    This  paper  addresses  a  key  gap  in  knowledge  regarding  the  use  of  radio  telemetry  to  monitor  juvenile  tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus).    We  compared  the  performance  of  tagged  versus  untagged  juveniles  reintroduced  to  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary.  Our  results  showed  that  over  the  five  months  following  release,  tagged  and  untagged  juveniles  had  similar  growth  rates,  body  mass  and  dispersal  distance.  We  found  that  our  modified  backpack  harness  had  no  apparent  effects  on  the  behaviour  of  juveniles,  although  occasional  abrasion  and/or  swelling  were  noted.  In  summary,  we  encourage  more  telemetry  studies  of  reptiles  to  use  comparative  data  from  tagged  and  untagged  animals  to  evaluate  the  effects  of  monitoring,  an  admittedly  difficult  task,  especially  for  juveniles  due  to  their  cryptic  nature  and  secretive  behaviours.    

Scott  Jarvie  assesses  a  juvenile  tuatara  prior  to  its  release  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary.      Photo:  Alison  Cree  

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Assessing  the  thermal  suitability  of  translocation  release  sites  for  egg-­‐laying  reptiles  with  temperature-­‐dependent  sex  determination:  a  case  study  with  tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus)      Scott  Jarvie,  Anne  A  Besson,  Philip  J  Seddon  and  Alison  Cree  Department  of  Zoology,  University  of  Otago,  P.O.  Box  56  Dunedin,  New  Zealand    Animal  Conservation:  in  press    In  this  paper  we  provide  a  strategic  framework  for  evaluating  the  thermal  suitability  of  a  release  site  for  egg-­‐laying  reptiles  with  temperature-­‐dependent  sex  determination.  This  is  an  important  aspect  of  habitat  assessment  for  reptile  reintroductions.  We  apply  the  framework  to  a  case  study  of  tuatara  (Sphenodon  punctatus)  reintroduced  to  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary,  south-­‐eastern  South  Island,  New  Zealand.  Our  approach  allows  the  assessment  of  the  thermal  suitability  of  future  translocation  sites  for  tuatara,  and  can  be  readily  modified  for  any  translocation  of  a  reptile  species  with  temperature-­‐dependent  sex  determination.    

   

Head  of  a  juvenile  tuatara  with  distinctive  red  colouration,  photographed  prior  to  release  at  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary.  Photo:  Scott  Jarvie.    

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Tuatara:  biology  and  conservation  of  a  venerable  survivor    Alison  Cree    Canterbury  University  Press  (2014)  For  ordering  see  http://www.cup.canterbury.ac.nz/new/  or  www.nationwidebooks.co.nz    This  book  provides  a  comprehensive  summary  of  the  evolution,  biology  and  conservation  of  tuatara  and  is  illustrated  in  colour  throughout.  Topics  include  the  history  of  human  interactions  with  tuatara,  including  those  relating  to  Māori  culture  and  to  scientific  study.  Biological  topics  include  ecology,  feeding  and  behaviour;  reproduction  and  life  history;  and  environmental  relations.  The  history  and  current  status  of  the  32  natural  populations  on  islands,  as  well  as  populations  recently  translocated  to  islands  or  to  mainland  fenced  ecosanctuaries,  are  also  discussed.  Included  among  these  is  Orokonui  Ecosanctuary,  home  to  87  tuatara  translocated  in  late  2012.