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Gecko Eggs Saved From Ant Attack in Mauritius
24 Jul
Summary
- Over 100 gecko eggs were returned to Mauritius from Jersey Zoo.
- Invasive ants attacked and threatened the survival of the eggs.
- Conservationists rescued over half of the threatened eggs.
More than 100 eggs of the lesser night gecko have been returned to Mauritius, a critical effort to support the species following a 2020 oil spill. These eggs originated from Jersey Zoo, with an initial batch of 142 transported in December. However, a new threat emerged when invasive big-headed ants began attacking the eggs being monitored.
Conservationists from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust acted quickly, managing to save over half of the threatened eggs. This intervention saw 91 unhatched eggs transferred to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation for daily monitoring. As a result of these efforts, 68 geckos were successfully released onto Ilot Vacoas, a significant achievement that highlighted the importance of rapid response in conservation.
This successful reintroduction, with 88% of eggs hatching in a previous phase, underscores the effectiveness of the Mauritius Island Restoration Programme. The program is a collaboration between Durrell, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, and the Government of Mauritius. Future plans involve incubating and hand-releasing more eggs to further secure the gecko population.
