Mourning Geckos
The girls are quite an interesting crew, and one that stays together. These small geckos are parthenogenic, meaning that there are no males needed for offspring to be produced.
"The Girls" came to the sanctuary as the start of a breeding project in March of 2022. One of the downfalls of these animals is that they are extremely difficult to handle, and should just stay within an enclosure for exhibition. On the other hand, these geckos can be an awesome way to show an audience the methods of reproduction, as while these geckos do need a mate, there is no genetic material being shared, meaning that the geckos are genetically identical to their parents, a clone.
Parthenogenesis allows these geckos to create these clones, as they have no males in their captive population. They embody the phrase “I don’t need a man” because they literally do not need them. The geckos are primarily frugivores, meaning that they eat mostly fruit.
If you want to sponsor animals in the LGBTQIA+ community, these “fruity” girls may be the right animal for you! These girls would also make a great ambassador for anyone looking for an animal that is small but mighty!
