Rare Gecko Species Rediscovered in Galapagos Following Island Restoration Success

"Caption: Leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus maresi) displaying variation in coloration. Photo credit: IslandConservation.org Excerpt from islandconservation.org

Galápagos Islands — June 2025 — In a thrilling twist of ecological fate, scientists have confirmed the rediscovery of a gecko species once thought extinct on Rábida Island in the Galápagos thanks to a successful restoration and rewilding project. The breakthrough, published in the journal PLOS ONE this month, marks a major conservation milestone and a beacon of hope for biodiversity recovery efforts worldwide. The elusive Leaf-toed Gecko (Phyllodactylus maresi), previously known only from ancient subfossils, has now been officially documented through the collection of live, vouchered specimens during expeditions in 2019 and 2021. Now that the evidence has been peer reviewed, we can confirm the species’ survival in modern times. "