harlequin gecko patterned like lichen on rock
- 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
- Coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky shorelines. 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 cold, wet conditions.
- Range
- Found only on Stewart Island (Rakiura) and a few nearby islands. One of the most restricted ranges of any New Zealand gecko, confined to the southernmost part of the country.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- Habitat loss from land development and vegetation clearance is the primary threat. Also threatened by predation from introduced rats and cats, and by climate change.
- Population
- A distinctive gecko found only on Stewart Island. Variable pattern of spots and stripes that resembles the costume of a harlequin – brown, grey, and cream markings that provide excellent camouflage among rocks and moss. Nocturnal, active at night, rarely seen.
- Conservation Status
- At Risk - Declining
The masked dancer of Stewart Island. Harlequin Gecko has a pattern as variable as it is beautiful. At six to eight centimetres in length, it is a small gecko, with a pattern of spots and stripes that resembles the costume of a harlequin – brown, grey, and cream markings that provide excellent camouflage among rocks and moss.
A gecko of the southern island. Found only on Stewart Island, in coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky shorelines. A nocturnal species, hiding under rocks and bark during the day, emerging at night to hunt insects. Its harlequin pattern breaks up its outline, making it nearly invisible against 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 Harlequin Gecko is to see one of New Zealand's rarest and most beautiful reptiles. A living mask, a flash of pattern in the southern bush. Its survival depends on habitat protection and predator control.
That is the harlequin gecko. Masked, rare, and beautiful. It carries on. For now.