Story: Lizards

Putiputi Rapua and Gerald (2nd of 3)

Putiputi Rapua and Gerald

This dog, named Putiputi Rapua, has been trained to lie down when she smells a lizard. Here, she has sniffed out her training partner, a common gecko called Gerald. The border terrier was one of two dogs being trained for use by the Department of Conservation in 2004. Because many New Zealand lizard species are nocturnal, it has been difficult to study them. Researchers hoped the dogs’ keen sense of smell would bring them greater success in finding lizards.

Using this item

Otago Daily Times
Reference: 18 February 2004, p. 2
Photograph by Jane Dawber

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Kerry-Jayne Wilson, 'Lizards - Conservation', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13534/putiputi-rapua-and-gerald (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Kerry-Jayne Wilson, published 24 Sep 2007, updated 1 Mar 2014