Lost flat-bodied Gecko spotted after 30 years in South African Canyon

Lost Gecko Spotted After 30 Years in South African Canyon (Image: AP)

For Darren Pietersen, some mysteries don’t fade with time. A gecko he first read about as a student stayed with him for years. Last month, he finally came face-to-face with it.

Rare reptile found after decades of uncertainty

Researchers have rediscovered a gecko once feared extinct. The Blyde Rondavel flat gecko, last seen in 1991, has been found again in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Two researchers from the Endangered Wildlife Trust were dropped into the remote Blyde River Canyon. They camped atop a high rocky outcrop for three days.

It was the same site where the gecko was first seen. In 1991, only two male specimens were collected there. Some experts questioned if they were truly a new species. Others believed they were young members of a different gecko group. The mystery lingered for over 30 years.

Because the species had not been seen since, it was listed as "data deficient" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. That meant scientists didn’t have enough information to say whether it had vanished.

Three days, one mission, and a big discovery

It took Pietersen and fellow researcher John Davies two years to plan this trip. They filed at least six permit requests before they were finally allowed in. Their goal was simple: prove that the gecko was real and still alive.

They were dropped onto one of the canyon’s round rocky towers. Its steep cliffs are over 100 metres high and hard to climb. It’s also where the geckos were most likely to be hiding.

They searched carefully and patiently for the tiny reptile. When they spotted the first one, it was a huge moment. Over the three days, they saw around 20 to 30 geckos. They managed to photograph and collect seven of them for further study.

The lizards are small, about 8 to 9 centimetres long. Photos of the geckos are the first evidence of their survival in three decades. Tissue samples collected from the geckos should help confirm their species status soon.

A reminder that nature still holds secrets

This gecko is the fifth "lost" species rediscovered by the trust. In recent years, they’ve also found a sand-dwelling mole last seen 80 years ago. A rare butterfly, a frog, and another lizard were also found again after decades.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust said these discoveries show how much there is still to learn. Pietersen said he has always loved hard-to-find species. “Having a species that is data deficient annoys me,” he admitted.

He believes these rare finds encourage more attention to lesser-known animals. Each one tells a story of survival — and reminds us we’re not finished discovering nature’s wonders.