Reptiles
Flying Gecko
Ptychozoon kuhli · also called flying gecko, kuhl's flying gecko, parachute gecko
The flying gecko is a lizard designed to disappear and then reappear somewhere else. Flat against a rainforest tree trunk, with the skin flaps along its body and tail spread over the bark, it is almost impossible to see. Startled, it leaps into the air, splays its webbed feet and fringed tail, and glides away to another tree.
Overview
The flying gecko lives in the lowland and hill rainforests of Southeast Asia, on tree trunks and large branches. It is about 18–20 cm in total length, flattened and mottled grey-brown, with loose skin flaps along each flank, full webbing between the toes, a flap under the chin, and a broad tail edged with lobed fringes.
Gliding
Knocked or launched from a branch, it spreads its limbs, splays its webbed feet, and flattens its body and tail, turning its outline into a rough parachute. It then glides at a shallow angle to a lower trunk several metres away, making small steering corrections and usually landing head-up. It is one of many unrelated Southeast Asian rainforest animals — frogs, snakes, lizards, mammals — that have independently evolved gliding.
Vanishing on bark
Held flat against a trunk, the skin fringes spread out and blur the edge of the gecko, and pressing them flat removes the shadow line that usually gives a camouflaged animal away.
Status
The flying gecko is Least Concern, common across forested Southeast Asia and tolerant of secondary growth. It is collected for the pet trade but is not considered threatened.
Flying Gecko: common questions
Can the flying gecko actually fly?
No. Like the other gliding animals of the Southeast Asian rainforest, it cannot flap, gain height, or stay airborne. What it can do is turn a fall into a controlled glide. Skin flaps along its flanks, full webbing between its toes, a flattened body, and a wide fringed tail together present a large surface to the air, so when the gecko launches from a branch it descends at a shallow angle rather than dropping straight down, covering several metres of horizontal distance and making small steering adjustments before landing on another trunk. Parachute gecko is a more accurate name than flying gecko.
Why does it glide?
Mainly to escape. A gecko on a tree trunk that is surprised by a snake or a bird has limited options if it stays put, but if it can launch into space and glide to a different tree, it removes itself from the danger and resets the chase on its own terms. Gliding also lets it move efficiently through a forest where trees are close together and the ground is risky, avoiding the long climb down one trunk and up the next. Many unrelated rainforest animals in the region, including frogs, snakes, lizards, and mammals, have independently evolved the same trick for the same reasons.
How does it hide so well on a tree?
When it is not gliding, the flying gecko flattens itself against the bark and spreads out the same skin flaps it uses in the air. The fringes along its body and tail lie down over the bark and feather out the edge of the animal, so there is no clean outline for a predator's eye to lock onto. Just as importantly, pressing the flaps flat removes the shadow that a normal raised-bodied lizard casts, and it is often that shadow line, rather than the animal itself, that gives a camouflaged creature away. Its mottled grey-brown colouring completes the disguise.
Is the flying gecko a good pet?
It is kept by reptile hobbyists but is regarded as a species for keepers with some experience. It needs a tall, planted, well-ventilated enclosure with plenty of vertical bark surfaces, moderate to high humidity with good airflow, and live insect food, and it can be fast, flighty, and prone to dropping its tail when stressed or handled. Much of the trade has relied on wild-caught animals, which often carry parasites and settle poorly, so captive-bred geckos are preferable where available. It is not a species that tolerates frequent handling.