Hitch-hiking gecko returns home

A New Zealand forest gecko was returned to Lake Kaniere last week, after hitching a ride to Canterbury with some bach owners who discovered it on the back seat of their car.

The gecko was put safely in a goldfish bowl with some wet vegetation and had a good drink of water.

It was then dropped into the Sockburn Department of Conservation (Doc) office before it was transported back to Lake Kaniere and released.

Forest geckos are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night.

They come in a variety of colour patterns depending on their habitat, making them well camouflaged, but can be preyed on by mice, rats, hedgehogs, weasels, stoats, ferrets, cats, possums and pigs.

Doc says these geckos are very slow breeding, giving birth to one or two live young a year, and then live up to 50 years.