One of the 6 geckos on WAnimals
Reptiles · Squamata · Gekkonidae
Crested Gecko
Correlophus ciliatus
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The crested gecko is a tree-dwelling gecko endemic to New Caledonia, with crests of spiny scales above the eyes that give it the look of eyelashes. It was given up for extinct for almost a century until it was rediscovered in 1994, and it has since become one of the most popular terrarium reptiles in the world, bred in captivity by the million.
Weight
35 g – 55 g
Size
20 cm – 25 cm
Lifespan
18 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- It was given up for extinct for almost a hundred years: described in 1866, it was not found again until 1994, after a cyclone brought a scientific team to the Isle of Pines.
- It is one of the few reptiles that has become extremely abundant in captivity while remaining threatened in the wild: there are millions of captive-bred animals around the world and a wild population confined to one corner of New Caledonia.
- If it loses its tail it does not grow another: unlike almost every other gecko, an adult crested gecko without a tail stays that way for life, and most wild adults have lost theirs.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Humid forest and scrub of southern New Caledonia, in the South Pacific
- Sexual maturity
- 18 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 70 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 eggs
Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crested_gecko
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Crested Gecko — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Common Flat-tail Gecko
Uroplatus fimbriatus
Tokay Gecko
Gekko gecko
Turkish Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus
Madagascar Day Gecko
Phelsuma madagascariensis
Coconut Crab
Birgus latro
How to help
The crested gecko is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
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