Leopard Gecko
Eublepharis maculata
Distribution,
Climate & Habitat: a native of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Found
in arid and semi-arid areas with rocky outcrops amongst sand
Size: adults can reach around 20 centimetres from head to tail
Diet: small insects and other invertebrates; also sand, from which they obtain calcium for bone growth
Appearance:very varied, but generally yellowish above with black banding across the body; this breaks up into spots as the animal gets older; whitish below. Light blue above the eyes gives the appearance of wearing eye shadow! The eyes have elliptical pupils as these are nocturnal animals. The feet have short claws for grasping rocks, but because Leopard geckoes live on the ground rather than in trees, their toes lack the "Velcro" pads that enable other geckoes to climb well
Habits: shelters among rocks and in underground burrows by day to escape the drying effects of the sun and the attentions of predators, emerging at night to forage. Leopard geckoes are unusual among geckoes in having eyelids; other geckoes instead clean their eyes with their long tongue! Fat reserves are stored in the tail
Fascinating Fact:
just before pouncing on an insect or some
other prey, the tail is wriggled from side to side like a cat; this gives rise
to the alternative name of "cat gecko"