National Geographic Museum Blog

Our thanks to GEICO for their support of Geckos: Tails to Toepads and of “Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr” on National Geographic Channel.l.

It was recently discovered through vast DNA testing that a relatively common species of gecko, found in areas ranging from the Congo to Ghana, is not simply one species but four species combined.  Scientists believe that this west African lizard has evolved over the past 100,000 years due to the fragmentation of a belt of tropical rain forest. Herpatologist with CU Berkely’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Adam Leache, explains, “We tended to find this gecko, Hemidactylus fasciatus, throughout our travels in West Africa… Despite the fact that it is recognized as one species, using new methods we have established a high probability that it is composed of at least four species.”

Documenting the specie(s) in this biodiversity hot spot proved to be far more difficult than other scientific expeditions due the harsh environment. Leache and his colleague Matthew K. Fujita had to trek for hours into the unforgiving forest. Access was even more difficult due to the fact they had to hire porters to carry liquid nitrogen with which to preserve tissue specimens of rare species, plus pickling containers used to bring home more common animals, including the forest gecko. But their efforts were far from fruitless, finding the first ever multi species gecko.

Source: http://news.discovery.com/animals/one-gecko-turns-out-to-be-four-different-species.html

Raising your own feeder crickets for your gecko can be both fiscally beneficial as well as give you a greater satisfaction and connection to raising your reptile.  It also ensures that your pet is getting the optimal nutrition benefits of the most enriched food you can provide. By raising your own crickets you have the opportunity to “gut loading” your crickets, or in other words feed them a specific nutritional diet that in turn nourishes your gecko.

Cricket food, as well as products specifically manufactured for gut loading can be purchased at many pet stores, but you can feed your crickets for much cheaper with items you probably already have in your home. Great sources of nutrition for crickets include mustard greens, potatoes peels, sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. Tropical fish food or dry cat food also make fantastic cricket food. It is also important to remember that geckos require calcium and vitamins just as humans do. To supplement their diet you can dust the crickets with a light coat of calcium and vitamin powders.

A mid sized aquarium is a perfect habitat for crickets. Providing the female crickets with places to lay their eggs is essential. To do so, place approximately one inch of potting soil or sand in the bottom of the habitat. You will want to give the crickets hiding places to mimic their natural habitat; you can accomplish this by placing pieces of tree inside the tank.

58-year-old German citizen, Hans Kurt Kubas, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail by a New Zealand district court this past year for attempting to smuggle 44 live geckos and skinks out of the country in his underwear. Kubas fashioned pockets onto his under garments in order to keep the different breeds of 24 geckos and 20 skinks while he the international flight back to Germany separated to prevent crossbreeding.

Although Kubas insists upon facing skepticism from the district court judge, that he had commandeered tiny protected reptiles for his own personal collection, each gecko sold would have been valued at $2,000 on the open market. Department of Conservation prosecutor Mike Bodie said it was “the most serious case of its kind detected in New Zealand for a decade or more,” and that “It’s similar to stealing our family silver.”

Kubas was also fined $5,000 and will be deported back to Germany on completion of his jail sentence.

For more info read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8482314.stm

Try being a gecko. Use the handy gecko mask from the link below. Print it out. Color and wear around. We’d love to feature you as a gecko here, so send along a picture or two of you in the mask!

Gecko Mask

Well, look no further! The Fun Things to Do With Kid’s site listed Tails to Toepads as one of the top 5 non-Halloween things to do this weekend: http://www.funthingstodowithkids.com/2010/10/top-5-non-halloween-things-to-do-with-kids-in-washington-dc-metro-this-weekend-october-23-24-2010/

Who are we to argue with that?

Geckos Exhibit at National Geographic Museum – Washington, DC
Daily until January 5, 2011: 9 am – 5 pm

Say hello to more than 70 live geckos at National Geographic Museum. Experience gecko night vision, listen to gecko sounds, build a custom gecko for various environments and more. Every Saturday and Sunday at 11 am, listen to a Balinese or Hawaiian folk tale featuring various gecko species. Admission fees: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (62+), $6 for members, $6 for military personnel, $6 for students, $4 for kids ages 2 to 12 and free for kids under 2. Get your tickets online.

This week our Gecko Wall of Fame highlights the following great DC-area youth!

Sydney & Kelsey of Falls Church, VA

Annie of Washington, DC

Arjina of Silver Spring, MD

Jacob of King George, VA

Fox News stopped by the National Geographic Museum last week to check out the exhibit. To view the video, check out here now:

SCVNGR is about doing challenges at the places you visit. The National Geographic Museum has build special challenges on SCVNGR at our Geckos exhibit to add another layer to the fun and discovery!

1) Download the free SCVNGR app for iPhone & Android

2) Head to the National Geographic Museum

3) Search for “Geckos” in the ‘Places’ tab

4) Do the fun, quick challenges there to earn points as you explore!