Mediterranean Gecko

Adventure step • Meet the species

Overview

The Mediterranean gecko is a small, nocturnal lizard that has remarkably adapted to life alongside humans. With their pale grey or beige body, often adorned with spots or speckles, these geckos can reach lengths of 10-13 centimeters including the tail. Their most distinctive features are their large, expressive eyes with vertical pupils and specialized toe pads that enable them to climb almost any surface, even upside down on ceilings and windows. Originally native to the Mediterranean region, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East, the Mediterranean gecko has spread across the world through human commerce and transportation. Today they can be found in parts of the Americas, especially southern USA, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America, as well as certain parts of Oceania. They thrive in urban environments and are frequently spotted climbing on house walls, around street lights, and other illuminated areas where nocturnal insects congregate. These small geckos are masters at hunting insects. They use their large eyes to detect prey in low light conditions and can make quick, precise movements to catch flies, mosquitoes, moths, and other small insects. Their sticky toe pads contain millions of microscopic hairs that use van der Waals forces to adhere to surfaces, giving them incredible climbing abilities. The Mediterranean gecko is quiet compared to many other gecko species, but they can occasionally produce faint chirping or clicking sounds, especially during mating or territorial disputes. Females typically lay two round, hard-shelled eggs per clutch and can produce multiple clutches during a season. The eggs are often glued beneath loose bark, in crevices, or other protected locations where they hatch after approximately six to seven weeks.