Hi blog.
Spring proper is finally here. Chilly and even cold weather continued into late March, and the official announcement of the cherry trees blossoming was made on the 29th – considerably later than usual. The 29th started with strong winds and heavy rains that didn’t clear up until early afternoon, and then suddenly the temperature rose.
Saturday the 30th brought temperatures topping 24℃, and today will be even warmer – the highest March temperature on record.
I was convinced that I wouldn’t get a second post out this month – the frequent rains and unusually cool weather wasn’t condusive to wildlife being out and about, and even less conducive to me being outside to encounter it.
Then yesterday I stepped outside and almost stepped on today’s star. I saw it lying near the entrance and at first thought it was the remains of a gecko – that camoflauge pattern was doing an effective job – when I realized that it was alive. I collected it in a plastic case to photograph and show the kids.
I had wanted to post about Schlegel’s Japanese gecko for a while now, but had not been able to get any even passable photos. This time I could guarentee at least one decent photo…
Gekko japonicus would seemingly imply that this gecko is endemic, or at least native to Japan. Its official Japanese name Nihon yamori, would do likewise. However, it is widely accepted that these geckos originate in China and were brought to Japan no later than 1000 years ago, with genome research conducted by Tohoku University suggesting an arrival as early as 3000 years ago. Introductions were almost certainly unintentional, as the gecko’s spread has closely followed that of humans.
These geckos are commonly called simply “yamori” in Japanese. While this is most commonly rendered in katakana in modern times, it was originally rendered 守宮 (probably from Chinese sources – apparently geckos were roasted and used as medicine for imperial family members in ancient China), while other renderings include 家守 or 屋守, both loosely meaning “house protector”. It seems that even in early times people recognised the gecko as a benefical animal for feeding on insects.
Japanese geckos are typically 10-14 cm long, grey or brown in colour, with dark patterns. Their range is from northern Honshu to Shikoku and Kyushu, as well as Tsushima, in addition to their native range in China and the Korean peninsula. Their range within Japan overlaps with the endemic Tawa gecko (Shikoku and the area surrounding the inland sea) and the endemic Yakushima gecko (Kyushu and the southern islands), and interbreeding has been reported.
Predators include cats, snakes, and birds. Individuals may also fall prey to insects such as praying mantises, or centipedes. These geckos can drop their tails in extreme situations. While the tail will regrow, loss of the tail also means a huge loss of body fat which the geckos need to survive periods without eating.
Japanese geckos lay eggs, typically in pairs, between May and September. They are reported as living for up to ten years.
I hope to see more of these through spring and summer.
Wild in Japan 