ANIMAL: Crested Gecko Correlophus ciliatus Type of Animal: Gecko Habitat: Rainforest Location(s): South Province of New Caledonia Appearance: Hairlike projections above eyes resembling eyelashes leading to often being called eyelash gecko, wedge-shaped head, crest runs from eyes to tail, semi-prehensile tail, can be gray, brown, red, orange, & yellow, markings can be spotted, straight stripes, or tigerlike stripes, brighter colors at night Food/Diet: Insects, insect larvae, worms, snails, fruit, nectar, pollen Status in Wild: Threatened Conservation: Breeding from zoos, wildlife parks, & private breeders Lifestyle: Solitary or breeding trios of a male & 2 females Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Hatchling Group-Leap/Colony Weight: Male- 0.88 oz Female- 1.23-1.94 oz Young- 0.56 oz Gestation: 2-3 months Life Span: 15-20 years Body Length: Adult- 4-4.5 in Young- 2 in Tail Length: 4 in Main predators are New Caledonian Giant Geckos, snakes, little fire ants (introduced), dogs (introduced), cats (introduced), & rats (introduced). Males extremely territorial & will fight to the death. Threats are pet trade, deforestation, introduced predators, wildfires, agriculture, & degradation from introduced ungulates such as pigs & deer. Many have been bred for being pets, which helps reduce demand for collection from wild. These geckos make great pets but are fragile & shouldn’t be handled roughly. Some get used to frequent handling. Young geckos shouldn’t be handled until they reach 3-inch mark. Females sexually mature at around a year & males sexually mature at 6 months. Females usually lay 1-2 eggs per clutch & can breed year round. They’re primarily nocturnal. They’re tree-dwellers (arboreal) Fun Fact(s): Toe pads have tiny rows of hair that can grab & hold on to glass. They don’t have eyelids & moisten eyes by licking them. Thought to be extinct until rediscovery in 1994 after a tropical storm. These geckos are often nicknamed cresties. If they lose tail, it won’t grow back. Semi-prehensile tail allows them to grab onto vines & branches.
