Moorish Gecko
Tarentola mauritanica
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhyllodactylidae (Phyllodactylid Geckos)
- GenusTarentola (Wall Geckos)
- SpeciesTarentola mauritanica (Moorish Gecko)
Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 cm (6 inches) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as Moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as tarantola, osga, salamanquesa, and dragó. Wikipedia →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Moorish Gecko sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park, based on 65 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 7 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 9 | Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Moorish Gecko in Sierra Nevada National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Moorish Gecko sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park, based on 65 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Moorish Gecko in Sierra Nevada National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Moorish Gecko in Sierra Nevada National Park in our monthly data.