The ACT has Australia’s biggest reserve for the endangered pink-tailed worm-lizard, and the local government’s hard work to save the creature is paying off, a progress report published this week shows.

The small, worm-like, legless lizard lives in ant burrows under rocks, and can be difficult to find, ACT environment minister Rebecca Vassarotti said.

The Molonglo River Reserve, established in 2019, protects the largest known population of pink-tailed worm-lizards in Australia, with approximately 6.5 hectares of habitat for the reptile. The restored habitat has improved connectivity between previously fragmented populations of the species.

“The globally threatened species is benefitting from the government’s action plan that outlines detailed conservation and protection requirements for the species,” Ms Vassarotti said.

Monitoring across 30 sites in the Molonglo River Reserve indicates that the worm-lizard population is stable: 74 animals were detected in 2019, an increase from the 61 animals in 2014.

“Today’s five-year implementation progress report shows that our action plan is helping the Pink-Tailed Worm-lizard and that our hard work is slowly paying off,” Ms Vassarotti said.

Rock ’n’ roll bad for lizards

Other areas of the Murrumbidgee River Corridor will also be surveyed for the lizard.

But to monitor the lizard, researchers must roll rocks, which is bad for their habitat. The government is developing a low impact monitoring method that will allow for more frequent monitoring.

Research on population monitoring methods and habitat requirements, particularly vegetation structure, and the impacts of grazing and fire management on habitat quality, will continue through collaboration with universities and trusts like Ginninderry’s, ACT Conservator of Flora and Fauna Ian Walker said.

The implementation progress report for the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard is available on the Environment website.