- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold bavay's giant gecko, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the bavay's giant gecko
The New Caledonian giant gecko, also called Leach's giant gecko or the leachianus gecko, is the largest living species of gecko and is native to New Caledonia, mainly the southern and eastern parts of the main island and several smaller islands. It has a heavy body, loose skin and a small, stumpy tail, and its colour varies through mottled green, grey and brown, sometimes with white, orange or pink highlights. Grande Terre animals can reach 360 to 430 mm. Arboreal and mainly nocturnal, it hides in tree hollows by day and eats insects, spiders, small vertebrates, fruit, nectar and sap. Adhesive lamellae on its feet let it climb vertically on glass.
Bavay's Giant Gecko facts
- It is considered an example of island gigantism.
- It can drop its tail and, unlike some relatives, regenerate it.
- Some Kanak people fear it, believing it can cling to a person and pull out the soul.
- Its sex is temperature dependent: in captivity, 29 °C incubation tends to give males and 22 °C females.
Where to see bavay's giant gecko in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding bavay's giant gecko by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
California· 1
Colorado· 1
Illinois· 1
Indiana· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
