SOS Aprasia project

NSW Government Saving Our Species - Aprasia Project

With Molonglo Conservation Group

Save our Pink-tailed Worm Lizard

Pink-tailed Worm Lizard (Aprasia parapulchella), listed as Vulnerable, and recorded widely on the Sanctuary. There are also substantial areas of Aprasia habitat. 

"In the Canberra region, the sites where the species occurs are characterised by: a cover of predominately native grasses (particularly kangaroo grass Themeda triandra); sparse or no tree cover; little or no leaf litter; and scattered small rocks lightly embedded in the soil surface, or resting on soil on top of more deeply buried rocks. It was found only in areas underlain by Mid–Late Silurian acid to intermediate volcanics and appeared to be most abundant where the surface rocks were well weathered with a considerable amount of fracturing, resulting in a high density of broken surface rock material. Small burrows were located under most rocks from which the species was recorded (Osborne et al. 1991)." 

At present the only technique used to survey Aprasia populations requries rock-turning. This has the potential to be deletarious to the habitat and all inhabitants, so only the habitat is currently being monitored, to ensure the quality is maintained or improved.

Pa’s Hut Reserve, Saving Our Species Aprasia Project