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The Otago Museum and Te Rūnanga or Ōtākou announced that the gecko was euthanized after it failed to be revived during treatments for “a number of ailments.”
“Unfortunately, Manawa has been feeling increasingly ill recently. Throughout this year, he received treatment from Dunedin Wildlife Hospital for a variety of ailments. No specific diseases or causes were diagnosed.
“Since his age is unknown, it is possible that his poor health is due to a natural progression.
“Unfortunately, the hospital team reported a noticeable decrease in his quality of life. He lost interest in food and his continued medical treatments were not shown to be effective.
“Veterinarians at the Wildlife Hospital advised euthanasia as the most humane option.”
The Otago Museum had teamed up with the rūnanga, the Department of Conservation and the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital to care for the gecko after it was repatriated to New Zealand.
The male gecko had been stolen from the Otago Peninsula, smuggled into Germany, and then shipped back to New Zealand after being discovered on Facebook in 2013 by Dunedin herpetologist Carey Knox.
The jeweled gecko (moko kākāriki) was one of two taken from the peninsula around 2010, and Knox later recognized one of them, using a photo he had taken earlier. The other gecko was also returned but died while in quarantine.
“Manawa is believed to be the first endemic wild animal poached in this country to have been successfully repatriated.”
Due to concerns about the biosecurity risk to New Zealand’s unique and fragile environment, Manawa was required to remain in containment at the Otago Museum.
Manawa was named after a competition was held.
The winning entry, Tara Swan from Masterton, explained that the Maori word “manawa” means heart, and that geckos were special in her heart, and also at the heart of many conservation stories.
