Underwoodisaurus milii
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Underwoodisaurus milii is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Carphodactylidae. The species is commonly known as the thick-tailed or barking gecko, referring to its distinctive plump tail and sharp, barking defensive call. The genus is also often called thick-tailed geckos as a group, along with the species Uvidicolus sphyrurus.
The specific name, milii, is in honor of French sailor and naturalist Pierre Bernard Milius. Underwoodisaurus milii is reddish-brown with bands of white and yellow spots, and a paler underbelly. It usually grows to a total length (tail included) of 120–140 mm (4.7–5.5 in). The original tail is black with several pale bands; however, the regenerated tail has little pattern.
Underwoodisaurus milii is found in southern regions of Australia. Its distribution in Western Australia is throughout the southwest, the goldfields, wheatbelt, and Nullarbor regions to the east, and to Shark Bay in the north. It is also found at the Houtman Abrolhos and the Archipelago of the Recherche. U. milii is found in rocky outcrops and is slightly more cold-tolerant than many other Australian gecko species... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Aquarium, Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Barking Gecko sighting in Royal National Park on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 37 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–April and November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Barking Gecko in Royal National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–August, October and December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Barking Gecko sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Barking Gecko sightings, Royal National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Flinders Ranges National Park (Australia, about 40%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Barking Gecko is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Royal National Park (15 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.
