“Male geckos tend to get blue flanking down the sides of their body as they get older. Geckos have long fleshy tongues that they use to drink dew off plants and to get pollen and nectar out of flowers. They are important to native plants as they also pollinate - a lot of New Zealand plants have adapted to be specifically pollinated by Geckos and Skinks. Not many people know about how important they are!
“We have amazing wildlife in New Zealand, our reptiles are special because they give birth to live young instead of laying eggs, likely due to the unpredictable weather. We need to protect them.”
To keep these Geckos safe, there are ways you can adapt your garden to help them thrive.
One way is to plant native shrubbery which will give Geckos a place to hide and make it harder for pests to get through to them, says Ben.
“You can provide a safe place by planting more native vegetation like mānuka, kānuka and coprosma.
“We also advocate for Safe Cats, Safe Wildlife. We want to protect cats as well as our native wildlife. Cats can live an enriched life by staying indoors and being given plenty of toys. Or, you can keep them inside at night to minimise hunting.
“Small steps can really help to protect our Gecko population and help them thrive.”
For more information on Green Geckos, you visit the Wellington Zoo website.