goldstripe gecko with a bright line down each flank
- Size
- Length: 6–8 cm
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Diet
- Insectivorous. Feeds on insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. A nocturnal gecko that hides under rocks and bark during the day, emerging at night to hunt. Uses specialised toe pads to climb smooth surfaces.
- Habitat
- Rocky outcrops, coastal cliffs, and native forests. Prefers habitats with plenty of rocks and crevices for shelter, and trees or shrubs for climbing. Often found under bark, in rock piles, and in coastal vegetation. Tolerant of salt spray and windy conditions.
- Range
- Found only in the Taranaki region of the North Island, particularly around Mount Taranaki and the surrounding hills. Confined to the western North Island, one of the most restricted ranges of any New Zealand gecko.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- Habitat loss from land development and vegetation clearance is the primary threat. Also threatened by predation from introduced rats, cats, and stoats, and by climate change.
- Population
- A distinctive gecko found only in the Taranaki region. Grey to brown body with a distinctive gold-coloured stripe running along its back. Nocturnal, hiding under rocks and bark during the day and emerging at night to hunt insects. Often found in rocky outcrops and coastal cliffs around Mount Taranaki.
- Conservation Status
- At Risk - Declining
The golden thread of the Taranaki coast. Goldstripe Gecko has a stripe that sets it apart from all other New Zealand geckos. At six to eight centimetres in length, it is a small gecko, with a grey to brown body and a distinctive gold-coloured stripe running along its back. Belly is pale cream, eyes large and dark, adapted for night vision.
A gecko of the rocks. Found only in the Taranaki region, in rocky outcrops, coastal cliffs, and native forests. A nocturnal species, hiding under rocks and bark during the day, emerging at night to hunt insects. Its gold stripe provides camouflage among lichen-covered rocks.
Viviparous, giving birth to live young. Females produce one or two offspring each year, a slow reproductive rate that makes the species vulnerable to population decline. The young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of the adults, independent from birth.
Threatened by habitat loss and predation. Its restricted range makes it vulnerable to localised threats, and its population is declining.
To see a Goldstripe Gecko is to see one of New Zealand's rarest and most distinctive reptiles. A living thread of gold, a flash of colour in the Taranaki rocks. Its survival depends on habitat protection and predator control.
That is the goldstripe gecko. Golden, rare, and local. It carries on. For now.