The forest is wet. Mokopirirakau sp. is the lizard of the rain forest. A creature of the wet and the wild. At seven to nine centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized gecko. Grey to brown colouration features darker blotches and spots that provide camouflage among moss-covered bark. Belly is pale cream. Eyes are large and dark, adapted for night vision. A gecko that wears the colours of the moss. This is a gecko of the dripping forest. Found only on the West Coast of the South Island, in beech and podocarp forests, scrublands, and regenerating bush. A nocturnal species, hiding under bark and in crevices during the day. Emerging at night to hunt insects among leaves and branches. A lizard that lives where the rain never stops. Confined to wet, forested western side of Southern Alps. One of most restricted ranges of any South Island gecko. Biologically, the West Coast Gecko is viviparous, giving birth to live young. Females produce one or two offspring each year. A slow reproductive rate that makes species vulnerable to population decline. Young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of adults. Independent from birth. A slow return. A long wait. Threatened by habitat loss and predation. Restricted range makes it vulnerable to localised threats. Population is declining. Forest is being logged. Predators are moving in. Land development and vegetation clearance are primary threats. Introduced rats and cats prey on adults and young. Climate change affects coastal habitats. Classified as At Risk - Declining. To see a West Coast Gecko is to see a lizard of the rain forest. A creature of the wet and the wild. Its blotched pattern is a reminder of moss and rain. Of ancient forests of West Coast. The forest is wet. The moss hangs from branches. The gecko hides under bark, waiting for night. It does not know the forest is shrinking. It does not know the predators are coming. It just waits. That is all it can do.