Protecting Alpine Wētā & Lizards (EP33 with Samuel Purdie, Southern Lakes Sanctuary)

Update: 2025-11-28

Description

The smaller critters often get the least attention - yet they make up the foundations of life in our ecosystems.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, invertebrates and lizards help recycle nutrients, disperse seeds, pollinate native plants, and support the whole food web. And they’re also some of the hardest animals to actually understand and protect.

In this episode, we head back to the Southern Lakes Sanctuary for a round two with their herpetologist and invertebrate specialist, Samuel Purdie, who pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to look after species like the Southern Alps giant wētā (Deinacrida pluvialis).

These rare alpine insects survive in harsh, often freezing landscapes and are now classified as nationally endangered.

Monitoring methods like tracking tunnels, mark-recapture studies, cameras, and eDNA all tell different parts of the story. And without careful calibration, they can paint wildly different pictures.

Sam also gives an inside look at the technical and physical reality of alpine fieldwork: night surveys on steep terrain, tents flooding, hazardous cliffs, and the huge challenge of getting reliable data.

It’s an eye-opening conversation about some of the least visible yet critical species in the Southern Lakes ecosystem, and why paying attention to the small stuff matters more than most people realise.

Here are some of the key topics we discussed:

Why invertebrates and lizards are foundational to healthy ecosystems
What we know about the Southern Alps giant wētā, their alpine adaptations, and threats they face
How climate change is shrinking alpine habitats and the consequences
Why mice are a major, underestimated threat that should be included in Predator Free 2050
The complexities of doing monitoring properly that are often overlooked
The physical and rugged reality of alpine fieldwork
Why inconsistent monitoring methods can mislead conservation efforts
How habitat modification and fire pose risks to lizard populations
Practical ways the public can help
And much more…

🧑‍🦱About Samuel:

Samuel Purdie is a herpetologist, science educator, and award-winning wildlife photographer from Rotorua. Sam holds a BSc in Zoology and Ecology and a PGDip in Wildlife Management from the University of Otago, and has recently completed his MSc focusing on native alpine lizards.

A lifelong enthusiast for “creepy crawlies,” Samuel spends much of his time turning over rocks in search of New Zealand’s lesser-known species. As Biodiversity Projects Coordinator at Southern Lakes Sanctuary, he's involved in planning and monitoring for these cryptic native lizards and shares his striking wildlife photography and species knowledge across Southern Lakes Sanctuary's media channels.

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