Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko

This species comes in various shades of mottled brown, gray, or rust to match different types of dead leaves. Their flattened tail closely resembles a dead leaf, complete with apparent decay and missing pieces. They have large eyes with vertical pupils, and there are pointy scales above each eye that resemble horns. 

Usually around 3.5 inches (9 centimeters) long.

This gecko lives in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar, spending most of its time in trees and bushes where it can blend in among bark and leaves. Though usually found in the branches of trees and shrubs, this species does not typically venture more than roughly 10 feet (3 meters) off the ground.

Up to 15 years in human care. 

Scientists know very little about how this species communicates.

Scientists know little about this species’ diet in the wild. Individuals in human care eat small invertebrates, including crickets and moths.

Nocturnal, meaning it is most active at night and sleeps during the day. 

This leaf-tailed gecko lays clutches of two spherical eggs among leaf litter on the forest floor. Females lay their eggs at the start of the rainy season which begins around November in Madagascar. 

This species was once threatened by the international pet trade, but export is now illegal which has reduced the number of lizards being collected from the wild. The gecko’s future hinges on the continued protection of its rainforest habitat in eastern Madagascar.