Home to lush rainforests and unique flora and flora, 63% of Christmas Island is a National Park. More than a mere homecoming, this project will use innovative technology and research to make their habitat safe and sound by suppressing their main predator, the Wolf snake.
Join us as we embark on a mission to reclaim safe habitat for these small endemic reptiles on Christmas Island.
The story
Prior to 1979 there were five recorded species of endemic terrestrial reptiles on Christmas Island, and one native non-endemic skink.
Today, only two species remain in the wild, the Giant Gecko (Cyrtodactylus sadleiri) and the Christmas Island blind snake (Ramphotyphlops exoccoeti). They are highly threatened.
Two of the six species are extinct on Christmas Island: the endemic forest skink (Emoia nativatis) and the coastal skink (Emoia atrocostata).
The remaining two species Lister’s gecko (Lepidodactylus listeri) and the Blue-tailed skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae) are considered Extinct in the Wild. Luckily, thanks to one intrepid Parks ranger and a whole team of supporters, they’ve been secured in ex-situ populations and are now ready to be released back into the Christmas Island ecosystem.
The threat
Wolf Snakes (Lycodon aulicus capucinus), an introduced invasive species, are the prime suspects behind the significant decline in native reptile populations on Christmas Island. The evidence indicates that their spread across the island closely aligns with the patterns of lizard disappearances.
But, worldwide, it’s unknown how to stop invasive reptiles in their tracks. The research and on-ground work behind suppressing and eradicating invasive reptiles is lacking. Rangers, research institutions, and community on Christmas Island will be navigating largely uncharted territory. However, they’ll have the backing of conservationists and specialists around the world!
Another challenge is that the behaviours and habits of the Wolf Snakes on Christmas Island are largely unknown, adding to the difficulty behind tracking, trapping, and removing them – and the need for research and innovative approaches.
Facing the challenge with research and innovation
No species are universally distributed. They show unique patterns of distribution based on their available environments. Understanding how an invasive species interacts with its habitat to complete its life cycle is the key behind effective suppression strategies.
To gain this understanding, Parks rangers are using new eDNA technology to help unveil the mysteries around the Wolf Snake’s movements on Christmas Island so that they can be tracked down and trapped.
Teaming up with eDNA technology specialists CESAR Pty Ltd, Parks staff have mapped the Wolf Snake’s genome, enabling tracking through eDNA sampling. Further, eDNA field collection protocols have been developed and trialled on Christmas Island, promising new research into the Wolf Snake’s habits and behaviours in that environment.
Comprehensive research in partnership with research institutions, will inform Park rangers of snake pheromone biochemistry, and once that is understood, Pheromones will be used to lure the love-lust snakes into the traps during breeding season.
In partnership with Christmas Island National Parks Reptile Advisory Group and in collaboration with rangers, specialists, and researchers around the world, suppression methods will be formed, and research outcomes shared to inform global conservation efforts.
The Return Home
Parks Australia maintains captive breeding programs for both Lister’s gecko and the Blue-tailed skink, in which genetic diversity is carefully managed.
A subset of the species from various ex-situ populations across the Cocos Keeling Islands, Christmas Island enclosures, and Taronga Zoo will be released to areas on Christmas Island when wolf snakes are suppressed to a level where they no longer pose a threat. This would effectively re-establish wild populations of these two species in their native habitat and restore their role within the Christmas Island ecosystem.
Biosecurity ensuring a lasting impact
The biosecurity on Christmas Island is managed by State and Federal governments, with every arrival to the island assessed by Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service staff. With in-principle support for continuous biosecurity enhancements, the likelihood of a new Wolf snake incursion on the island is very low, strengthening the long-lasting legacy of his project.
More information
Taking advantage from one of the pilot research projects in which the total genome of the wolf snake has been determined will greatly improve the efficiency of using eDNA for the distributional information.
If you’re interested in reading the most recent published research regarding the collapse of a native reptile population, see the paper by Jon-Paul Emery et al.
Your support will back the cutting-edge technology and research needed to suppress the invasive Wolf snake, ensuring the survival of threatened reptiles on the island.
Help bring back the Lister’s gecko and Blue-tailed skink to their native habitat, and form a vital contribution to conservation research and action worldwide.
Join us in creating a secure haven for Extinct in the Wild species to return to their native habitat on Christmas Island.
The extinction risk is very real, so habitat preservation is vital.
The time to act is now.
All donations within Australia (over $2) are tax deductible.
Header image credit: Blue-tailed skink, © Parks Australia