Where Have all the Pink Geckos Gone?

Where Have all the Pink Geckos Gone?

Have you read the Book titled; Down Under by Bill Bryson?
If you have not done so, borrow a copy or buy one; read and have a good laugh.
It is full of the most hilarious and penetrating observations ever, about travel through Australia and a number of encounters with the flora and fauna there; including lizards, komodo dragons and geckos.
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Talking of geckos, I know most people in Uganda have had an encounter or two with geckos of all types. There are quite many about. The brown ones you are sure to find behind a potted plant. The blue and green big ones that live on our walls. When I was growing up they told us that if the blue nodding head gecko ever bit you you would not survive. I dont know anyone who was ever been bitten by one. A man recently told me that if you get bitten by one of those blue-green ones; the only one person that can undo its teeth from your skin is the uncle of your uncle's aunt. Really.

Other geckos live in windowsills, or sneak into bedrooms, hiding under the bed,  scuttling out as you sweep. The quiet geckos find a home in the back of the curtain, falling out to the floor,to your slight shock as you clean. You will note however that many people do not want to kill geckos, even though they scream about them.I have never heard anyone bringing in pesticides to kill geckos. What is this I wonder? Where do all the geckos go? 

Have you had the shocking shouting experience of a gecko falling on you? The pink type of gecko that is becoming rarer these days and used to go tick, tick tick with its tail from the ceiling in the middle of the night? It makes a noise with its tail surprisingly loud for its size.  A friend of mine used to shout and scream and would not go to bed in our boarding school for fear of geckos but would not hesitate to cut a frog. One day a gecko fell on her. You can imagine...She later said gecko's feet are cold.

Scientists say geckos like the pink ones have suction pockets on their feet to help them walk upside down on ceilings, like Spider man. Imagine cold suction pocket gecko feet on your skin for a second..."Not so scaredy.... Screaaam..."

I am seeing less of the little old pink geckos in Kampala these days. Geckos in Kampala may be changing due to the extreme smog and pollution from all the second hand cars and myriad boda bodas imported to run and cough uncontrolled poisonous  gases all over our beautiful seven hills (Kampala City Council's Musisi and Lukwago take note). Suddenly I dont see the pink ones a lot, I see more of  the grey ones that seem to love the light and gather round the bulbs outside. Are the little pink geckos soon becoming moths? Have you noticed that they seem to be getting rougher skin and congregating around light bulbs more of late? We may be the silent witnesses to the rapid evolution of the Ugandan pink gecko.

I will keep you posted.