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There's plenty to see and do at the estuary.
The estuary walkway provides beautiful views, and there are signs along the way providing information about some of the birds you might see.
There is a lot of interesting wildlife at the estuary. As well as birds, the estuary is also home to some interesting plants and is an important habitat for native fish.
The Manawatū Estuary Trust enjoys giving people the opportunity to learn more about this amazing environ
This page is under contruction and will be continually up-dated with additional information added as it becomes available.
This group of animals in not well represented around the estuary with very few species likely to be seen and then, most are most likely to have been introduced. There is every likelihood that in the near future some marine species may crop up, either as live specimens or washed-up fatalities as has happened on several beaches along this coast in recent years. Sea Turtles and Sea Snakes are the most likely candidates.
Heading A checklist of species recorded from the area is included here. Information is basic and continually updated with links given by the usual method to a wealth of additional information. Headings and columns A and B are locked, so are always visible. Web address links are edited to fit within the static species columns. List can be downloaded, and additions added for personal use be "save as". These will not be saved to web.6
Northern Grass Skink Oligosoma polychroma
Endemic. Not threatened
Sadly, this was until quite recently the common species seen around Foxton Beach, but it is the introduced Plague Skink (see pest fauna) from Australia that is now the most frequently encountered. The two species are very similar and descriptions of how to tell them apart is described in this DoC poster. Further inland this is still a common species
Occurs in a wide range of habitats but most often in rough pasture and some urban gardens where is shelters amongst wood piles and other garden items. Also, likes to bask on sunny days and are usually first seen as they scurry away.
They can be long lived and reach maturity at around four years old, and they give birth to live young.
Diet consists of small insects with some fruit when in season.
New Zealand Herpetological Society-Northern Grass Skink
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