Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Geckos released after smugglers nabbed

Updated at 7:00 pm on 19 March 2010

Sixteen jewelled geckos that a German visitor tried to smuggle out of the country have been returned to where they were caught in Dunedin.

Manfred Bachman is serving a 15-week prison term after being caught at Christchurch Airport with the geckos in his backpack.

Two other men, from Spain and Switzerland, will be sentenced in the Christchurch District Court later this month.

The Department of Conservation released the 16 jewelled geckos in native scrub on Friday but asked that media not to reveal the location, because of the threat of poaching.

Each gecko is estimated to be worth $2000 on the black market.

National MP Michael Woodhouse has praised the Wildlife Enforcement Group at Christchurch Airport, which prevented the men from leaving the country.

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