northern gecko clinging to bark and stone
- Size
- Length: 7–9 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. Often found near the coast, where it feeds on insects attracted to beach vegetation.
- Habitat
- Coastal forests, scrublands, rocky shorelines, and offshore islands. 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 throughout the North Island and on many offshore islands, including the Poor Knights, Great Barrier, and the Mercury Islands. Most common in coastal areas and lowland forests. Absent from the South Island except for a few accidental introductions.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- None significant. Localised threats include predation by introduced rats and cats, habitat loss from coastal development, and climate change.
- Population
- A common gecko of the North Island and offshore islands, found in coastal forests and rocky shorelines. Nocturnal, hiding under rocks and bark during the day and emerging at night to hunt insects. Colouration varies from grey to brown, often with darker bands, and has a distinctive pale stripe along its back. Often found in coastal areas where it tolerates salt spray.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
The lizard of the northern coast. A gecko that loves the splash zone.
Pacific Gecko has a tolerance for salt spray and a love of the shoreline. At seven to nine centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized gecko, with a flattened body, large eyes, and specialised toe pads that allow it to climb smooth surfaces. Colouration is variable – grey to brown, often with darker bands, and a distinctive pale stripe along its back. A gecko that wears the colours of the coast.
A gecko of the rocky shore. Found in coastal forests, scrublands, and rocky shorelines, often in the splash zone where waves crash and salt spray coats the rocks. It hides under rocks and bark during the day, emerging at night to hunt insects attracted to beach vegetation. A common sight on offshore islands, where it basks on sun-warmed rocks.
Viviparous, giving birth to live young. Females produce one or two offspring each year, 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.
A generalist, able to live in a range of coastal habitats. Found under bark, in rock piles, in stone walls, and in coastal vegetation. A familiar sight to anyone who spends time on the coast of the North Island, though its nocturnal habits mean it is more often heard than seen.
Not threatened. Widespread and common in the North Island and on offshore islands. The rocky shore is wet. The gecko hides under a rock, flattened body, pale stripe along its back. The waves crash. The salt spray coats the rock. The gecko does not care. It does not know it is a survivor. It does not know it is common.
It just wants to eat a moth. A lizard that has made its home on the edge of the land, where the forest meets the sea. A survivor of the coast, a creature of the rocks and the waves. The Pacific gecko is proof.