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Green Iguana
Scientific Name: Iguana iguana The green iguana is a fantastic looking creature. With a row of spines along its back and tail, its multitude of skin textures and its scaly beard or ‘dewlap’ under its chin, it looks like a miniature dragon. Then there’s the colour – not all green iguanas are just green. They […]
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Fijian banded iguana
Scientific Name: Brachylophus fasciatus One of Fiji’s national treasures, the Fijian banded iguana is one of the few iguana species not found in the Americas. The male is strikingly coloured with light blue to white bands on a bright green background. Females are more uniformly green with occasional faint banding or spotting. Both sexes have […]
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Crested iguana
Scientific Name: Brachylophus vitiensis If you see an emerald patch in a forest in Fiji, look again because it might be the critically endangered crested iguana. A brilliant green with three white stripes that are sometimes edged with black, these iguanas grow to 75cm long. Their distinctive crests are present from hatching and run the […]
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Tokay gecko
Scientific Name: Gekko gecko These charismatic geckos get their name from the loud ‘tokay’ call the males make during mating. They are a noisy gecko and will also click, squeak and bark. The second largest gecko species, males grow to 35 centimetres long and can weigh up to 300 grams. They are solid looking with […]
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New Caledonian giant gecko
Scientific Name: Rhacodactylus leachianus The New Caledonian giant gecko is the world’s largest gecko, growing up to 36 centimetres long. This stout gecko has a short blunt tail and its skin, which has many loose folds, seems too big for its body. Unlike most geckos, it has claws on its toes, and these, along with […]
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Madagascan Giant Day Gecko
Scientific Name: Phelsuma madagascariensis The day geckos are a group of stunningly beautiful lizards, many with bright green, red, blue or yellow markings. The giant day gecko is no exception. It is bright emerald green in colour with large dark eyes and patches of red on the lower back and sometimes also on the head. […]
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Giant cave gecko
Scientific Name: Pseudothecadactylus lindneri The giant cave gecko has a big triangular head, large eyes, a long, slender tail and grows to 18 centimetres long. It is purplish brown, with irregular bands and spots of creamy yellow running across it. The underbelly is off-white and the iris is yellow to orange. Habitat: Found in northern […]
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Centralian Knob-tailed Gecko
Scientific Name: Nephrurus amyae Few reptiles have the same appeal as the knob-tailed gecko. The tiny tail ending in a little round knob about half the size of a pea, the large beautifully patterned eyes and the face displaying a permanent smile all contribute to the character of this little lizard. The centralian knob-tail is […]
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Bavay’s gecko
Scientific Name: Eurydactylodes Vieillardi These cute little geckos are only found on the island of New Caledonia. They grow 6-10 centimetres long and are a light brown, grey or olive colour with lighter rosettes on the body and darker banding on the tail. The geckos have big, yellowish coloured ear-holes on either side of their […]
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Short-Tailed Pygmy Monitor
Scientific Name: Varanus Brevicauda This diurnal monitor is the smallest monitor in the world. This terrestrial lizard reaches a maximum of 23cm in length. It is reddish brown in colour with darker flecks through the body. Like all monitors it has a long neck, strong claws, well developed limbs and a powerful tail. These solitary […]
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