A small gecko from the western Mediterranean region hid in a tourist’s luggage and “smuggled” to the Channel Islands’ second-largest island, Guernsey, which has caught the attention of animal welfare groups.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) stated that this living gecko was found near a gas station on September 11th. It was hiding in a tourist’s suitcase and was discovered when the tourist opened the luggage.
This gecko is believed to be a Moorish gecko (Tarentola Mauritanica), a species native to the Mediterranean region that feeds on insects. The GSPCA has named it Rosey.
The manager of the association, Steve Byrne, mentioned that Rosey is currently under quarantine at the GSPCA. Like other reptiles that have arrived before, if Rosey is healthy, the association will find a new home for it as it is challenging to return it to its native habitat.
Seb Goman, a senior animal care and welfare assistant at the association, stated, “GSPCA is different every day… we never know what will happen next.” She added that the gecko would be housed in a vivarium in the isolation area.
GSPCA reported that several non-native animals have been spotted on the island this year, including a grey squirrel that jumped out of the back of a truck and a lizard found in a suitcase.
Byrne remarked, “It has been an unexpected year.”
Similar gecko “smuggling” incidents occurred in 2022 as well.
In a previous report by Epoch Times, a gecko from mainland China was found hiding in a box storing musical instruments and was transported to the UK on a container ship. It was not until the box was opened that the gecko saw the light of day. Animal welfare activists in the UK were amazed at how the gecko managed to survive for three months in the sealed environment on the ship.
According to National Geographic Magazine, geckos are distributed on all continents except Antarctica. These reptiles have adapted to a variety of habitats from rainforests, deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
The gecko’s tail serves many purposes. It helps geckos maintain balance while climbing branches, acts as a “fuel tank” storing fat, and serves as camouflage to help geckos blend into their environment. If caught by a predator, geckos can drop their tails.
Most geckos are nocturnal animals, meaning they are active at night, but some are diurnal, feeding on insects, fruit, and nectar during the day. Most geckos produce sounds such as chirps and clicks to defend territory or attract mates.
Geckos mostly lack movable eyelids and have a transparent eyelid that they lick with their tongues to keep clean. There are various species of geckos, ranging from not endangered to critically endangered.