This gecko species was once threatened with extinction. The gecko population, which is brightly colored and the size of a miniature paperclip, has nearly doubled since 2018.
The Union Island gecko, which has the scientific name Gonatodes daudini, is an example that a species can survive extinction thanks to conservation efforts in collaboration with local residents.
Gonatodes daudini is found in the Chatham Bay forest on Union Island and is named after the country where it was found, namely Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
This species was first scientifically described in 2005 and quickly caught the interest of the illegal international pet trade.
This gecko is considered unique because it has a body like a jewel-studded variety of colors, and its body size is very small, only 3cm. This uniqueness triggers aggressive hunting and animal trading which makes the population in the wild decline.
The remaining species, which live in 50 hectares of primeval forest, have become especially vulnerable to human activity. So, in 2016, the Department of Forestry of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, together with conservation organizations, worked with local people to develop a species recovery plan.
These conservation efforts range from expanding and improving the management of protected forest areas, anti-poaching patrols, to 24-hour camera surveillance by community rangers in the forest. Thanks to these efforts, the number of mini geckos on Union Island has increased from 10,000 in 2018 to 18,000 this year.
"As a community leader, I am very proud to be part of this success story," said Roseman Adams, co-founder of the Union Island Environmental Alliance, quoted from New Scientist.
"Rescuing the Union Island gecko in the wild is a collaborative effort," said Jenny Daltry of Fauna and Flora International and Re:wild, two international conservation charities that are part of the work.
"The people on Union Island are wonderful to work with, and very proud of their unique geckos and ancient forests," he added.
This success led the conservation team to develop a broader initiative aimed at protecting other wildlife in the Chatham Bay forest, providing sustainable employment and development opportunities for local communities in the process.
"Although small, this place is full of endangered and endemic animals and plants, and new species can still be discovered," said Daltry.