kaikōura gecko of steep coastal cliffs and boulder fields
- 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 its specialised toe pads to climb smooth surfaces, including rocks and tree trunks.
- Habitat
- Rocky outcrops, coastal cliffs, and native scrublands. 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
- New Zealand - found only in the Kaikoura region of the South Island, particularly in the coastal hills and river valleys. One of the most restricted ranges of any New Zealand gecko, confined to the northeastern coast of the South Island.
- 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. Classified as At Risk - Declining, with a small and decreasing population.
- Population
- A distinctive gecko found only in the Kaikoura region. The Kaikoura Gecko has grey to brown colouration with darker bands and spots, and a pale belly. It is a nocturnal gecko, hiding under rocks and bark during the day and emerging at night to hunt insects. Often found in rocky outcrops and coastal cliffs around Kaikoura.
- Conservation Status
- At Risk - Declining
The Kaikoura coast is rugged. The hills are steep. The Kaikoura Gecko does not mind.
The Kaikoura Gecko is the hidden gem of the eastern coast, defined by a range that is limited to the hills around Kaikoura. At six to eight centimetres in length, it is a small gecko, with grey to brown colouration and darker bands and spots that provide camouflage among the rocks. The belly is pale cream, and the eyes are large and dark, adapted for night vision. A gecko that wears the colours of the coast.
This is a gecko of the coastal hills. The Kaikoura Gecko is found only in the Kaikoura region, in rocky outcrops, coastal cliffs, and native scrublands. It is a nocturnal species, hiding under rocks and bark during the day, emerging at night to hunt insects. A lizard that lives where the land meets the sea.
Biologically, the Kaikoura Gecko is a viviparous species, 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. A slow return. A long wait.
The Kaikoura Gecko is threatened by habitat loss and predation. Its restricted range makes it vulnerable to localised threats, and its population is declining. The hills are being developed. The predators are moving in. The gecko has nowhere else to go.
To see a Kaikoura Gecko is to see a lizard that exists nowhere else on Earth. It is a creature of the Kaikoura coast, a survivor of the rocky hills, and its future depends on the protection of its habitat and the control of predators.
The rock is warm. The gecko hides in the crack, waiting for night. It does not know it is rare. It does not know it is confined.
It just waits. That is all it can do.