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Sunday, June 7, 2020

Species Fact Profile: New Caledonian Giant Gecko (Rhacodactylus leachianus)

New Caledonian Giant Gecko
Rhacodactylus leachianus (Cuvier, 1829)

Range: New Caledonia (main island and smaller surrounding ones)
Habitat: Rainforest
Diet: Invertebrates, Small Vertebrates, Fruit, Nectar, Sap
Social Grouping: Solitary
Reproduction: May lay several clutches per year, each consisting of 2 eggs.  Eggs hatch after 60-90 day incubation period, their sex being determined by the temperature at which they are incubated.
Lifespan: 20 Years+
Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern



  • World's largest living gecko, measuring up to 36 centimeters long, including tail,, weighing 250-350 grams.  Heavy-bodied with a short, stumpy tail and loose skin.  Males have broader heads, more slender bodies than females.  Considered an example of island gigantism
  • Skin color may be green, gray, or brown, covered with white or cream-colored mottling that serves as camouflage.
  • Highly arboreal. Primarily active at from dusk until dawn, but sometimes seen basking during the day.  Usually shelters for the day in tree crevices
  • Capable of dropping their tails when in danger and growing new ones at a later date.
  • Scientific name honors the English zoologist William Elfrod Leach.  Sometimes affectionately known as the Leachie
  • Up to three subspecies have previously been described; today, none are considered valid
  • Feared by the local Kanak people, who called it "the devil of the trees" and believed that it could steal a person's soul.  Capable of making a loud growling noise when threatened.
  • Declining due to habitat loss (including electrocution from power lines), as well as predation from introduced mammals, such as cats and rats.  Collected illegally for the pet trade.


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