Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko
Homopholis wahlbergii
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyGekkonidae (Typical Geckos)
- GenusHomopholis (African Velvet Geckos)
- SpeciesHomopholis wahlbergii (Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko)
About the Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko
Wahlberg's velvet gecko (Homopholis wahlbergii) is a species of large gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species occurs exclusively in Southern Africa. The specific name, wahlbergii, is in honour of Swedish naturalist Johan August Wahlberg. The spelling walbergii was corrected to wahlbergii by Smith (1849) in an errata within an addenda slip (unpaginated).
H. wahlbergii is endemic to Miombo and Mopane bushveld of Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The largest part of its range covers Zimbabwe. H. wahlbergii shelters under tree bark, rocks, empty bird nests, and other places in coastal bush and mesic and arid savannas.
Wahlberg's velvet gecko is so called because the skin looks and feels like velvet. The back varies from dark grey to soft grey-brown and may be crossed with paler chevrons or crossbars or have mottled paler areas nestled along the centre of its back and spine. Adults may attain a total length (including tail) of 21 cm (8.3 in), but average total length is 14–18 cm (5.5–7.1 in).
H. wahlbergii is nocturnal; however, it has been observed to occasionally... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko in Kruger National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kruger National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko in Kruger National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 118 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko in Kruger National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.