WHEN IMMIGRANTS arrive on islands they are forced to learn new tricks. This form of Pacific gecko (Hoplodactylus pacificus), found on Sugarloaf Rock near the Poor Knights group of islands, specialises in eating regurgitated fish, spilt in gannet colonies. Other members of the same species found throughout the northern half of the North Island feed exclusively on live prey such as insects and grubs, and are nocturnal. But on the barren rock stack of Sugarloaf the geckos emerge in daylight the moment they smell spilt fish to claim the meal before red billed gulls can get to it.

Forest and Bird, Issue 268, 1 May 1993, Page 12

WHEN IMMIGRANTS arrive on islands they are forced to learn new tricks. This form of Pacific gecko (Hoplodactylus pacificus), found on Sugarloaf Rock near the Poor Knights group of islands, specialises in eating regurgitated fish, spilt in gannet colonies. Other members of the same species found throughout the northern half of the North Island feed exclusively on live prey such as insects and grubs, and are nocturnal. But on the barren rock stack of Sugarloaf the geckos emerge in daylight the moment they smell spilt fish to claim the meal before red billed gulls can get to it.