Stunning Critically Endangered Gecko Makes An Incredible Comeback [Photo]

A tiny critically endangered gecko has made an incredible comeback in just a few short years thanks to collaborative conservation efforts.

The Union Island gecko is a tiny reptile that's so small, it's just about the size of a paperclip, conservation group Re:Wild said in a news release. Apart from its small size, the gecko is also known for its stunning coloration that makes it look rather bejeweled. It has even garnered the nickname "Polaroid" gecko because of the slow way that it changes from brown to "glorious technicolor," quite like those iconic instant photographs.

The Union Island gecko's population, however, is confined to a 50-hectare forest on Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a size that's not much bigger than the Vatican City, according to Fauna & Flora International (FFI). That in itself makes the species rather vulnerable

But in addition, even if it's a relatively newly-known species, having only been described in 2005, it quickly became prey to the exotic pet trade.

By 2018, its population had already shrunk to just a fifth of its original size, mainly from exploitation for illegal collection and the destruction of its small habitat. The species has been considered "critically endangered."

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, its stunning appearance and rarity have proved to be a double-edged sword," FFI noted in a statement.

Now, thanks to intense conservation efforts, the Union Island geckos' population has made a "dramatic comeback." From 2018, when its population was down to just 10,000, its numbers today have jumped to 18,000. That's a whopping 80% increase in just a few short years, Re:Wild noted.

The species that in 2017 was found to be "the most heavily trafficked reptile from the Eastern Caribbean," has now become "one of the best guarded reptiles in the world," noted Jenny Daltry of Re:Wild and FFI.

Saving the Union Island gecko came down to collaborative efforts from various local and international groups as well as local communities and the government, according to FFI, which is the oldest international wildlife conservation group in the world.

"The recent improvement in the population of the geckos—thanks to work of FFI, UIEA (Union Island Environmental Alliance) and the Forestry Department, and the support of several funding organizations—provides crucial evidence that successful conservation is a collaborative and inclusive effort, where the overall beneficiary is species survival," L. Fitzgerald Providence of the ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in St. Vincent & The Grenadines, said as per the Re:Wild release.

With the island being home to many endemic species, the Union Island gecko's comeback gives hope for the island's biodiversity. The goal, now, is to keep the efforts going for the Union Island gecko as well as the other important species of the island.

"(W)ith its sensational landscape and myriad of beautiful species, the geckos' habitat is becoming under threat from destruction," added Isabel Vique of FFI. "If not properly managed, the development of Union Island not only puts the future of the gecko at risk, but will impact a large number of other threatened species that are endemic to this area."