New Zealand’s geckos comprise a unique and special group of animals. Here are 8 cool facts about these cute, elusive, and seldom seen animals.
Before moving to New Zealand I didn’t know much about the natural world here. I had heard stories of beautiful landscapes, big mountains, rivers, and trout. Other than Kiwis I hadn’t heard much about the wildlife in New Zealand. Since then I’ve learned all about this country’s special wildlife. New Zealand is full of endemic birds, such as Kiwis, Tuis, Kereru, and Rifleman among others. In addition to those birds, these islands are also home to geckos.
8 Facts About New Zealand’s Geckos
Most geckos around the world are a gray or brown color and are nocturnal. Not all of the ones in New Zealand fall into this category. In fact, the geckos of New Zealand come in two main groups. There are grey/brown colored ones that tend to be nocturnal. There are also some primarily green geckos that are diurnal.
New Zealand is home to at least 40 species of geckos. Amazingly, all of them are endemic, meaning that they can be found nowhere else in the world!
It’s absolutely true that New Zealand is home to some very unique geckos, but the fact is that you may not see any. Unfortunately, these small reptiles have been under attack by the introduced mammals (rats, stoats, cats, and more). These predators have decimated the geckos populations’, causing them to become either extinct on the mainland or surviving in small numbers. The best chance to see them now is to find them on predator free off shore islands or predator free sanctuaries on the mainland.
All of the geckos in New Zealand give birth to live young! This is different than most lizards in other parts of the world, which lay eggs.
The geckos pollinate and disperse the seeds of native plants. New Zealand’s geckos are omnivores, eating fruit, insects, and even drinking nectar sometimes. When they sip the nectar or eat the fruit of native plants, they end up pollinating the flowers and spreading the seeds. They do this to native plants such as Pohutukawa trees or Flax. Scientists have seen this happen on predator free offshore islands.
Keep in mind that all lizards in New Zealand are protected under the law. They can’t be handled, held, or collected. Go ahead and look for them, but leave them alone if you see them.
The geckos of New Zealand share that weird trait of many other lizards whereby they can drop their tail. Yep, this is a defense mechanism that allows them to lose their tail in the hopes that they can then escape their prey. It takes years for their tail to grow back, and it will never be completely whole again, but it may save their life.
They have sticky feet that lets them climb walls and ceilings like spider man. Their feet don’t have suction cups on them, but are covered in tiny hairs that help them stick.