OneTravel Animal of the Week: The Gecko

Geico’s little green minion may come equipped with compelling lines and a Cockney accent, but his cousins out in the wild can be just as interesting. Here’s what you need to know about the lizard that’s really good at selling car insurance.
Natural habitat: warmer parts of the world including rocky deserts, mountains, jungles, rainforests, grasslands, and some urban areas

Species count: over 1,500 worldwide
Size: typically range from 1.6 to 60 cm
Diet: primarily insects and worms
Fun facts: Don’t expect a wink from these little guys. Most geckos cannot blink. So how do they keep their peepers clean and moist, anyway? By licking them, which is equal parts cool and gross.
Geckos typically replace each of their 100 teeth every three to four months, equaling a LOT of visits from the tooth fairy.
Self-amputating your tail sucks, but it’s better than being a bigger animal’s lunch. When defending itself against a predator, a gecko can shed its tail and make a run for it.
Source 1, 2; Photo credit