Geckos

Geckos belong to the family Gekkonidae and are small to average sized lizards found in warm climates around the world. There are an estimated 2,000 different gecko species worldwide with the potential for many more yet to be discovered in more remote/unexplored regions of the world. The name gecko originates from the Indoenesian/Javabese word gekok which was inspired by the unique vocalisations and chirping sounds that these lizards make when interacting with one another.

Geckos come in wide variety of colours and patterns, with some species even having the ability to chance colour to blend in with their environment or particular temperatures. However, one defining feature of all Geckos is the lack of eyelids (excluding the Eublepharinae gecko family) and instead have a transparent membrane to protect their eyes. As such Geckos must lick their eyes to keep them clean and free from dust and dirt, much like how we as humans blink to clean our eyes.

When threatened many species will expel a foul-smelling material and faeces onto their aggressors so you might want to be careful if you chose one of those species. Another interesting defence mechanism displayed by some species of geckos, is their ability to drop their tails in a process known as autonomy. This act can often save their life in the wild when being attacked by a predator such as bird or larger reptile, giving the small gecko a chance to escape. However, once lost, the re-grown tail is never as beautiful as their original so you should be gentle when handling those particular species.

Many species of geckos are also well known for their specialised toe pads which enable them to climb across smooth surfaces, vertical walls and even ceilings, where they can hunt prey such as mosquitoes and other pest insects. The only known surface which geckos cannot stick to is Teflon, which has a very low van der Waals force.

The largest ever known species of gecko was Delcourt's Gecko which reached 60cm long and was native to New Zealand, however this was wiped out in the 19th century when new predators where introduced by settlers to the region. The smallest known species, the Jaragua Sphaero is only 16mm long as was discovered on a small island off the coast of the Dominican Republic in 2001.

Tokay Gecko

Scientific name:

Gekko gecko

Tokay Geckos are an ...

Leopard Gecko