I have always had a fascination for gecko’s. There is something about them that I find incredibly appealing. At one stage I had a cat that shared my fascination with these creatures although she would bring them into the flat to torment. I could hardly blame the cat though, for this is in their nature.

I recently stumbled across the following images of the Mossy Leaf Tailed Gecko. I am posting these to share with the readers of this blog just how absolutely incredible their camouflage is. 
 According to Wikipedia, this species is to be found in the forests of Madagascar. These geckos can also change the colour of their skin, much like  chameleons do. They have dermal (skin) flaps that further break up their outline when they are at rest. They are listed on appendix 2 of CITES as loss of habitat and collection for the pet trade threatens them.

These gecko’s are nocturnal, their large, yellow lidless eyes with elliptical pupils are well suited to their night time habits. During the day, they usually spend their time resting vertically on branches and tree trunks, with their heads facing downwards. At night they will venture out in search of prey. They are insectivorous and will eat a variety of insects.


   
Blink and it is GONE!!!
The adults measure on average between 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm’s) and while they are to be found in captivity, they do not fare particularly well. WWF have listed this species on their “Top 10 most wanted list” of animals threatened by illegal wildlife trade. They are being captured and sold at an alarming rate. As far as reproduction is concerned, they will lay eggs are laid +/- every 30 days and take around 90 days to hatch.