Australian scientists explore if relocating its endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard to new areas will aid preservation
Scientists are now exploring whether relocating these burrow-dwelling skinks to cooler, greener environments could secure their future as their traditional northern habitats become hotter and drier, according to a release from Flinders University in South Australia.
The study compared how three separate pygmy bluetongue populations adapt to different microclimates across South Australia.
Originally native to the northern Flinders Ranges near Jamestown, the lizards have been relocated about 150 km south to the Mid North region near Burra, as well as to more southerly sites around Tarlee and Kapunda in South Australia.
The research published in Biology highlighted the challenges of translocation, as lizards must adjust to new temperatures, humidity and water availability, factors crucial for their survival.
Reptiles like the pygmy bluetongue depend heavily on maintaining specific body temperatures for basic bodily functions, but higher temperatures increase their risk of dehydration, said Deanne Trewartha, a PhD candidate at Flinders University's Lab of Evolutionary Genetics and Sociality.
"We need to understand how this species, which are highly dependent on body temperature, adapt to cooler and often wetter seasons in these new environments," said Trewartha.
Initial results showed acclimatization may take over two years and vary by origin, but translocation still appears a promising long-term strategy to reduce extinction risk, she said.
With Australia home to the world's highest reptile diversity, translocation is growing ever more urgent to safeguard small burrow-dwelling reptiles and other ectotherms, relying on their surroundings to regulate body temperature, from biodiversity loss, the researchers said.
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