Reptile
Waitaha Gecko
Woodworthia brunneaAlso known as Canterbury Gecko, Brown Gecko, Moko-pāpā
Waitaha geckos are stout, nocturnal lizards perfectly camouflaged against the greywacke rocks and weathered shrub stems of New Zealand's eastern South Island. During cool sunny days, individuals cryptically bask at the entrances of deep rock crevices to regulate body temperature while remaining hidden from avian predators. Like many New Zealand diplodactylids, females give birth to live twins after an extraordinarily long gestation period and can survive for decades in undisturbed scree habitats.
NocturnalEndemicCamouflaged
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMoths, Spiders, Coprosma Berries
Predators
- Stoat
- Feral Cat
- Ship Rat
ThreatsPredation by introduced mammals, habitat fragmentation, and illegal collection
HabitatsRocky outcrops, scree slopes, coastal boulder banks, and dry shrublands
Life span20–30+ years
Classification
- FamilyDiplodactylidae
- SpeciesWoodworthia brunnea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a mottled grey-brown lizard with pale chevron patterns along the spine sheltering within Canterbury rock piles.
- Support conservation
- Do not touch, capture, or disturb sheltering sites, and report any sightings to regional conservation authorities.
Responsible observation
- Night Spotting: Search rock crevices and divaricating shrubs after dusk using a red-beam flashlight to avoid startling them.
- Rock Etiquette: Never pry open, flip, or dismantle boulder piles, as shifting stones can crush geckos and destroy ancient refuge crevices.
Regional Neighbor no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Christopher Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Christopher Stephens · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Jacqui Geux, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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