Hemidactylus garnotii
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The Indo-Pacific gecko (Hemidactylus garnotii), also known as Garnot's house gecko, fox gecko, or the Assam greyish-brown gecko, is a species of gecko native to South and Southeast Asia, Polynesia, and the east coast of Australia.
Adults grow to about 10–13 cm (4–5 in) in length. Similar to H. frenatus, they exhibit the ability to change the colour of their skin, from dark gray or brown with light markings in daylight, to a pale, translucent colour at night. Often mistaken for a common house gecko, the species can be distinguished by its rows of large, spiny scales on the lateral edges of the tail.
The species epithet, garnotii, is named in honor of the French naturalist Prosper Garnot. The name gecko is onomatopoeic, in reference to the chirp of H. frenatus, one of three extant relatives of H. garnotii, which has historically been interpreted as a "gecko, gecko" sound. The common name fox gecko relates to the species' long, narrow snout, similar to that of a fox.
The Indo-Pacific gecko bears a striking resemblance to its extant cousin H. frenatus, its closest relative. However, individuals of H. garnotii tend to be much larger than H. frenatus, with... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 2 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 3 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Tuen Mun | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Medellín | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Guangzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 7 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Garnot's House Gecko sighting in Kinabalu Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 63rd most-seen of the 69 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Garnot's House Gecko in Kinabalu Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–June, September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Garnot's House Gecko sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Garnot's House Gecko sightings, Kinabalu Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (Malaysia, about 10%).
Same genus: Hemidactylus
The closest relatives of the Garnot's House Gecko that you can see in Kinabalu Park (genus Hemidactylus, House Geckos) are Flat-tailed House Gecko (about 40%) and Common House Gecko (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Garnot's House Gecko is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kinabalu Park (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
