[gecko]Geckos Falling/Hawaii's geckos
John Rudge
gecko@lists.gekkota.com
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:22:00 +0100
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Sherron,
Thanks for the interesting post.
I've visited Sri Lanka a few times and your comments on geckos falling =
reminds me of some Sri Lanka folklore that Anslem de Silva has told me =
about. Geckos play a significant role in the traditions of the Sri =
Lankan people and there are beliefs related to both gecko vocalisation =
and geckos falling onto ones body. These beliefs are established to the =
extent that there is an almanac published in Sri Lanka that has a =
section called "Hunu enga vetimae palapala", roughly translated as =
"Predictions based on the body area on which the gecko falls".
As these are ancient beliefs I'm afraid the almanac doesn't cover your =
example of what to expect if the gecko falls on your computer! :-)
Cheers.
John=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Sherron=20
To: gecko@lists.gekkota.com=20
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [gecko] Hawaii's geckos
Aloha, Dr. Werner=20
=20
I have to agree that if a gecko just dropped off the ceiling on its =
own, it probably was sick. However, there are much more likely reasons =
for a gecko to fall from the ceiling! ;)=20
=20
We encounter geckos falling from the ceiling of our home & lanai, and =
from our banana trees, with regularity and the reasons are not at all =
unusual - they are either distracted with fighting, mating, or being =
chased by another gecko. It happens quite often and usually they just =
lie stunned for a few minutes and are then able to run off, but some are =
not so lucky and are injured. This is the first we've had that was =
fatally injured from a known fall.=20
=20
We have had them land on us, on our laps, computers, beds, and =
whatever else happened to be under them. Most are day geckos, but quite =
a few house geckos, and occasionally a mourning gecko (being chased) =
will fall.=20
=20
I have a more personal view of the day gecko impact & the history of =
geckos in Hawaii. My understanding is that the first geckos who arrived =
either with or before the Polynesians included the mourning gecko =
(Lepidodactylus lugubris), stump-toed gecko (Gehyra mutilata), =
Indo-Pacific gecko and the tree gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus typus).=20
=20
I agree that the concern with the house gecko was it would displace =
the "native" populations, which it has done to a fair extent, with only =
the mourning gecko remaining in urban areas and the others driven into =
less developed areas. But the concern with later species has now mostly =
turned to the impact on other elements of the ecosystem.=20
=20
When the first day geckos were introduced, naturalists feared that =
both the mourning gecko and the house geckos would be at a severe =
disadvantage. And from experience, I can say that for several years it =
became uncommon to see any brown geckos around our house or around town. =
But both the house and mourning geckos have made something of a =
comeback, and we now have quite a few representatives of both these =
species.=20
=20
And they mostly, but not totally, compete for the same insects. We =
have observed that at least the Gold Dust Day Gecko is much lazier than =
the house or mourning geckos and will not pursue its prey very far, =
which tends to limit the insects that it eats. We have seen house geckos =
tackle large cockroaches that barely fit down their throats, while a =
gold dust will not even bother chasing one. But the day gecko is also =
larger, which enables it to eat larger insects. They can bring down =
large cane spiders and even hawk moths. They don't discriminate as to =
whether the insects they eat are exotic or endemic, of course.=20
=20
With the introduction of the larger day geckos, including the giant =
day gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis) which has established in Manoa, =
the threat to native insects has increased. Additionally, the amount =
they consume also reduces native birds' food supplies and interferes =
with native plants pollination according to the DLNR (Department of Land =
& Natural Resources). =20
=20
Unfortunately, it's not a matter of a simple replacement of one =
similar animal for another. And even if it were, as much as I like the =
day geckos - I prefer the native species. So my preference is to have =
the original geckos, particularly the mourning gecko, which was the most =
common species prior to the introduction of the house gecko. Likewise, I =
would prefer the house gecko that has been around the last 60 or so =
years & whose impact is now known, rather than the more recent =
introductions whose final impact is yet to be determined. I love Hawaii =
with all her uniqueness and I hope to keep her that way. ;)
Mahalo, Sherron
yehudah werner wrote:=20
Hello,
The recent messages re geckos requiring euthanasia and this =
being problematic on Hawaiian islands, stimulate 3 comments.
1, A gecko that drops off the ceiling and/or lands other than on =
its four feet is probably sick to begin with.=20
2, Even geckos don't live forever. What does everybody do with =
the dead pets? They should be donated (with maximum info on their =
origin, age etc.) to some public museum collection.
3, To my understanding, on Hawaii, the colonizing day geckos are =
semi-banned not for their endangering the local insects (this is already =
done by the local geckos) but because they displace the local geckos. =
This of course means that they displace Hemidactylus frenatus, who since =
arrival in the 1940s has been displacing Hemidactylus garnotii, who =
arrived much earlier. The moral difference between the waves of invasion =
is that the early invasions were unintentional (which is natural for =
commensal geckos), whereas the latest is supected of having been =
intentional (artificial).
Hoping to have served, Yehudah
=20
Yehudah L. Werner
Professor Emeritus of Zoology
Department of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
91904 Jerusalem, Israel
Tel. 972-2-6585874 (direct)
Fax 972-2-6584741 (departmental office)
e-mail yehudah_w@yahoo.com
Home tel./fax 972-2-5665576=20
--=20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
Gecko aka Sherron, Kailua Kona, Hawaii (on the Big Island of Hawaii)
Homepage: http://hale-pohaku.com/sherron - mailto:gecko@hale-pohaku.com
See our rats: http://hale-pohaku.com/dennis/ratgallery.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.=20
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.2.0/1497 - Release Date: =
6/11/2008 8:32 AM
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<BODY text=3D#000000 bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sherron,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for the interesting =
post.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I've visited Sri Lanka a few times and =
your=20
comments on geckos falling reminds me of some Sri Lanka folklore that =
Anslem de=20
Silva has told me about. Geckos play a significant role in the =
traditions of the=20
Sri Lankan people and there are beliefs related to both gecko =
vocalisation=20
and geckos falling onto ones body. These beliefs are established to the =
extent=20
that there is an almanac published in Sri Lanka that has a section =
called "Hunu=20
enga vetimae palapala", roughly translated as "Predictions based on the =
body=20
area on which the gecko falls".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As these are ancient beliefs I'm afraid =
the almanac=20
doesn't cover your example of what to expect if the gecko falls on your=20
computer! :-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cheers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>John</FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dgecko.hale@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:gecko.hale@gmail.com">Sherron</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dgecko@lists.gekkota.com=20
href=3D"mailto:gecko@lists.gekkota.com">gecko@lists.gekkota.com</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 14, 2008 =
9:08=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [gecko] Hawaii's=20
geckos</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Aloha, Dr. Werner <BR> <BR>I have to agree that =
if a=20
gecko just dropped off the ceiling on its own, it probably was sick. =
However,=20
there are much more likely reasons for a gecko to fall from the =
ceiling! ;)=20
<BR> <BR>We encounter geckos falling from the ceiling of our =
home &=20
lanai, and from our banana trees, with regularity and the reasons are =
not at=20
all unusual =96 they are either distracted with fighting, mating, or =
being=20
chased by another gecko. It happens quite often and usually they just =
lie=20
stunned for a few minutes and are then able to run off, but some are =
not so=20
lucky and are injured. This is the first we=92ve had that was fatally =
injured=20
from a known fall. <BR> <BR>We have had them land on us, on our =
laps,=20
computers, beds, and whatever else happened to be under them. Most are =
day=20
geckos, but quite a few house geckos, and occasionally a mourning =
gecko (being=20
chased) will fall. <BR> <BR>I have a more personal view of the =
day gecko=20
impact & the history of geckos in Hawaii. My understanding is that =
the=20
first geckos who arrived either with or before the Polynesians =
included the=20
mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris), stump-toed gecko (Gehyra =
mutilata),=20
Indo-Pacific gecko and the tree gecko (Hemiphyllodactylus typus). =
<BR> =20
<BR>I agree that the concern with the house gecko was it would =
displace the=20
=93native=94 populations, which it has done to a fair extent, with =
only the=20
mourning gecko remaining in urban areas and the others driven into =
less=20
developed areas. But the concern with later species has now =
mostly=20
turned to the impact on other elements of the ecosystem. <BR> =
<BR>When=20
the first day geckos were introduced, naturalists feared that both the =
mourning gecko and the house geckos would be at a severe disadvantage. =
And=20
from experience, I can say that for several years it became uncommon =
to see=20
any brown geckos around our house or around town. But both the house =
and=20
mourning geckos have made something of a comeback, and we now have =
quite a few=20
representatives of both these species. <BR> <BR>And they mostly, =
but not=20
totally, compete for the same insects. We have observed that at =
least=20
the Gold Dust Day Gecko is much lazier than the house or mourning =
geckos and=20
will not pursue its prey very far, which tends to limit the insects =
that it=20
eats. We have seen house geckos tackle large cockroaches that =
barely fit=20
down their throats, while a gold dust will not even bother chasing =
one. But=20
the day gecko is also larger, which enables it to eat larger insects. =
They can=20
bring down large cane spiders and even hawk moths. They don=92t =
discriminate as=20
to whether the insects they eat are exotic or endemic, of course. =
<BR> =20
<BR>With the introduction of the larger day geckos, including the =
giant day=20
gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis) which has established in Manoa, the =
threat=20
to native insects has increased. Additionally, the amount they =
consume=20
also reduces native birds=92 food supplies and interferes with native =
plants=20
pollination according to the DLNR (Department of Land & Natural=20
Resources). <BR> <BR>Unfortunately, it=92s not a matter of =
a simple=20
replacement of one similar animal for another. And even if it were, as =
much as=20
I like the day geckos =96 I prefer the native species. So my =
preference is to=20
have the original geckos, particularly the mourning gecko, which was =
the most=20
common species prior to the introduction of the house gecko. Likewise, =
I would=20
prefer the house gecko that has been around the last 60 or so years =
&=20
whose impact is now known, rather than the more recent introductions =
whose=20
final impact is yet to be determined. I love Hawaii with all her =
uniqueness=20
and I hope to keep her that way. ;)<BR><BR>Mahalo, Sherron<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Lucida Sans =
Unicode'"><O:P></O:P></SPAN><BR><BR><BR>yehudah=20
werner wrote:=20
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=3Dmid:323423.67114.qm@web30508.mail.mud.yahoo.com=20
type=3D"cite"><DIV>Hello,</DIV>
<DIV> The recent messages re geckos requiring =
euthanasia=20
and this being problematic on Hawaiian islands, stimulate 3 =
comments.</DIV>
<DIV> 1, A gecko that drops off the ceiling and/or =
lands=20
other than on its four feet is probably sick to begin =
with. </DIV>
<DIV> 2, Even geckos don't live forever. What does =
everybody do with the dead pets? They should be donated (with =
maximum info=20
on their origin, age etc.) to some public museum collection.</DIV>
<DIV> 3, To my understanding, on Hawaii, the =
colonizing=20
day geckos are semi-banned not for their endangering the local =
insects (this=20
is already done by the local geckos) but because they displace the =
local=20
geckos. This of course means that they displace =
<EM>Hemidactylus</EM>=20
<EM>frenatus</EM>, who since arrival in the 1940s has been =
displacing <EM>Hemidactylus</EM> <EM>garnotii</EM>, who arrived much =
earlier. The moral difference between the waves of invasion is that =
the=20
early invasions were unintentional (which is natural for commensal =
geckos),=20
whereas the latest is supected of having been intentional=20
(artificial).</DIV>
<DIV> Hoping to have served, Yehudah</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR><BR>Yehudah L. =
Werner<BR>Professor=20
Emeritus of Zoology<BR>Department of Evolution, Systematics and=20
Ecology<BR>The Hebrew University of Jerusalem<BR>91904 Jerusalem,=20
Israel<BR>Tel. 972-2-6585874 (direct)<BR>Fax 972-2-6584741 =
(departmental=20
office)<BR>e-mail <A class=3Dmoz-txt-link-abbreviated=20
href=3D"mailto:yehudah_w@yahoo.com">yehudah_w@yahoo.com</A><BR>Home =
tel./fax=20
972-2-5665576=20
<P></P></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><PRE class=3Dmoz-signature cols=3D"72">--=20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
Gecko aka Sherron, Kailua Kona, Hawaii (on the Big Island of Hawaii)
Homepage: <A class=3Dmoz-txt-link-freetext =
href=3D"http://hale-pohaku.com/sherron">http://hale-pohaku.com/sherron</A=
> - <A class=3Dmoz-txt-link-freetext =
href=3D"mailto:gecko@hale-pohaku.com">mailto:gecko@hale-pohaku.com</A>
See our rats: <A class=3Dmoz-txt-link-freetext =
href=3D"http://hale-pohaku.com/dennis/ratgallery.html">http://hale-pohaku=
.com/dennis/ratgallery.html</A></PRE>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG.=20
<BR>Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.2.0/1497 - Release Date: =
6/11/2008=20
8:32 AM<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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