Deep in the forests of New Caledonia, the undergrowth hides one of the hottest commodities in the exotic pet trade. The world’s largest geckos, rare species that once flourished in the Pacific territory, can fetch thousands of dollars online. But their exact location is kept a closely guarded secret from pet collectors and traders around the world, for one main reason.
Many of the species have become endangered. Only park rangers intent on protecting the geckos from poachers and smugglers, like Joël Delafenetre, know how to find them. “They’re beautiful geckos. That’s why people are attracted to them,” he says. Late at night in Blue River Park — a densely forested, red-earthed wilderness that resembles Jurassic Park — he spots one on a tree ahead.
