cloudy gecko of Nelson's marble and limestone country
- Size
- Length: 7–9 cm
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Diet
- Insectivorous. Feeds on insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Nocturnal hunter emerging at night from under bark and crevices in trees.
- Habitat
- Beech and podocarp forests, scrublands, and regenerating bush. Prefers habitats with plenty of trees for climbing and rough bark for hiding. Often found in canopy.
- Range
- Found throughout South Island, particularly west and south. Common in native forests from Nelson to Fiordland, and on Stewart Island. Absent from drier eastern regions.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- Localised threats include predation by introduced rats and cats. Habitat loss from forest clearance and climate change affecting temperature regimes.
- Population
- Not Threatened. Common gecko found in South Island and Stewart Island. Distinctive blotched pattern. Nocturnal, hiding under bark during day.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
- Human Risk
- harmless
- Handling Note
- protected native gecko, do not handle or disturb to prevent stress
- Conservation Note
- Endemic gecko widespread in native forests of the North Island and northern South Island.
- Assessment
- NZTCS Reptiles and Amphibians (2021)
- Te Ao Māori
- In Māori tradition, the Cloudy Gecko was the moko kapua (cloud lizard). A creature of the mist and the rain. Its cloudy pattern was seen as the clouds that drift over the mountains. A sign of its connection to the weather. It was a kaitiaki (guardian) of the forest. Keeping the insects in check and maintaining the balance of the canopy.
The misty forest has its own residents. This is one of them. The Cloudy Gecko wears the weather on its skin. At seven to nine centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized gecko. Grey to brown colouration features darker blotches and spots that resemble clouds. Belly is pale cream. Eyes are large and dark, adapted for night vision. A gecko that lives where the rain falls and the mist hangs.
Mokopirirakau nebulosus inhabits beech and podocarp forests throughout the South Island. It is also found in scrublands and regenerating bush. A nocturnal species, it hides under bark and in crevices during the day. At night, it emerges to hunt insects among leaves and branches. An arboreal species, it spends most of its life in trees and shrubs. It prefers habitats with plenty of trees for climbing and rough bark for hiding. Often found in the canopy, but also on tree trunks and on the ground.
Viviparous, giving birth to live young. Females produce one or two offspring each year. This is a slow reproductive rate typical of New Zealand geckos. The young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of the adults. Independent from birth, they fend for themselves immediately. A slow return. A long wait.
Not threatened. Widespread and common in the South Island, with healthy populations throughout its range. Still vulnerable to predation by introduced rats and cats. Habitat loss from forest clearance poses a localised risk. Climate change may alter temperature regimes affecting survival. Each surviving juvenile represents a victory against overwhelming odds. The Cloudy Gecko persists where protection is maintained. A testament to resilience in a changing landscape.
To see a Cloudy Gecko is to see a creature of the misty forest. A lizard that has lived in the trees of the South Island for millions of years. Its cloudy pattern is a reminder of the weather that shapes the landscape. Of the rain and the mist that feed the forests. The forest is damp. The mist hangs low. The gecko clings to a branch. Its cloudy pattern blends with the lichen. It does not move. It does not need to. It has been here for millions of years. It will be here as long as the mist keeps falling.