These distinctive looking lizards are found in tropical forests of Madagascar. Their tails are shaped like tree leaves and serve as camouflage in their forest habitats.
The life of a Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko
Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos grow 10 to 12 inches, weigh up to three ounces and live seven to 10 years. They are nocturnal and spend much of their lives in trees. They typically only leave trees to lay their eggs. Females lay two to four eggs at a time, which are buried on the forest floor and hatch after 85 to 95 days. Parents do not care for the young after they hatch.
Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos are carnivores that eat worms, insects and invertebrates. They have sticky pads on their feet that help them cling to trees and climb a variety of surfaces. They have no eyelids and use their long tongues to lick their eyes clean.
When confronted by predators, these geckos can shed their leaf-shaped tail to distract their attackers and get away. They’ll regrow a new, slightly shorter tail with a different pattern than the original. Predators include birds of prey and snakes.
