New Caledonian Giant Gecko

Common Name: New Caledonian Giant Gecko

Scientific Name: Rhacodactylus leachianus

Diet: Insects, spiders, smaller lizards, frogs, fruit and nectar, and the occasional egg or chick

Overview: At 36 cm long from snout to tail, the New Caledonian giant gecko is the largest species of gecko on Earth. And it does all of that with an almost comically stubby tail. 

Reproduction: Females lay two eggs at a time and in captivity can produce 4-10 clutches per year. The eggs are adhesive, and it is assumed that females attach them to bark within hollows and beneath bark.

Natural Enemies: They face predation from birds and introduced predators such as rats, dogs and cats.

Conservation Status and Threats: Found only on the island of New Caledonia, the geckos are arboreal (tree-dwelling), and rarely descend to the ground. Humans present a threat through habitat destruction and degradation.