New Caledonia has prohibited the export of wild crested geckos since shortly after their 1994 rediscovery
Virtually every crested gecko in the global pet trade descends from a small number of animals exported before these restrictions took effect, plus subsequent generations of captive breeding — not from ongoing wild collection.
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For much of the 20th century, Correlophus ciliatus was known only from old museum specimens and thought to be extinct.
Like many geckos, a crested gecko can voluntarily drop its tail (autotomy) as a defence mechanism when grabbed or startled — but unlike leopard geckos, it lacks the regenerative capacity to grow a new one.
Unlike species with moveable eyelids, crested geckos have a fixed transparent scale (brille) over each eye and use their long tongue to lick away dust and debris, similar to many other gecko species.
Unlike leopard geckos, crested geckos have adhesive lamellae on their toe pads (and a prehensile, sticky-tipped tail used as a fifth limb) that let them climb smooth vertical surfaces, including glass, with no trouble at all.
The fringed, eyelash-like row of skin projections running from above each eye back along the body gives this species its common name.
With correct husbandry, crested geckos are notably long-lived for a small gecko — commonly reaching 15–20 years, occasionally more.