The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division has confirmed a second Indo-Pacific gecko population in the state. The non-native lizard was spotted at a home in Savannah and identified via photograph by senior wildlife biologist John Jensen of the division's Nongame Conservation Section.
An Indo-Pacific gecko population was previously discovered in September 2006 in Brunswick. Jensen said females of Hemidactylus garnotii, also called Garnot's house gecko and native to Southeast Asia, are capable of self-fertilization, meaning one female can establish a population.
The potential risk to native species in Georgia appears low, Jensen said. In Florida, the Indo-Pacific gecko is displacing another exotic species, the Mediterranean gecko. Both Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean geckos - also documented in parts of Georgia - seem to thrive only on and around buildings. Check out:
http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/lizards/hemgar.htm for details on Indo-Pacific geckos.
An Indo-Pacific gecko population was previously discovered in September 2006 in Brunswick. Jensen said females of Hemidactylus garnotii, also called Garnot's house gecko and native to Southeast Asia, are capable of self-fertilization, meaning one female can establish a population.
The potential risk to native species in Georgia appears low, Jensen said. In Florida, the Indo-Pacific gecko is displacing another exotic species, the Mediterranean gecko. Both Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean geckos - also documented in parts of Georgia - seem to thrive only on and around buildings. Check out:
http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/lizards/hemgar.htm for details on Indo-Pacific geckos.