years. A more recent study proposes that the species may live up to 37 years in the wild. It has been suggested that W. maculata may have a long lifespan to balance their slow reproductive rate. Diet Geckos have a simple diet of live insects and smaller organisms. The diet of a gecko includes, but is not limited to, spiders, isopodas, moths, flies, grasshoppers and caterpillars. As expected, due to an individual's size and preference, the diet has a lot of variation. In other gecko species, the tail acts as a storage organ which can hold reserves of fat which the individual can use in times of food scarcity. Most gecko species cannot digest leaves and other tough plant material easily, however W. maculata and other New Zealand gecko species feed off plant material that is easily digestible and high in energy like pollen, nectar, sap or fruit. Mainland geckos are commonly preyed on invasive species such as stoats, cats, hedgehogs and rodents. On off-shore islands where these invasive species are not present, the morepork is considered the main predator. Rodents eat both the adult gecko and their eggs and are particularly dangerous for larger geckos. Although W. maculata are too small to fight them off, their heads are too big to fit in gaps small enough in which they would be safe from the predator. Cree found that W. maculata reproduces annually, and has evidence to suggest that some populations may be reproducing biannually. Cree also recognised that on average, each female produces less than 2 offspring per year and are slow to mature. Conservation status As of 2021 the Department of Conservation (DOC) classified the common gecko as Not Threatened under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. References External links Raukawa gecko, at New Zealand Herpetological Society Woodworthia Endemic fauna of New Zealand Reptiles of New Zealand Reptiles described in 1845 Taxa named by John Edward Gray Endemic reptiles of New Zealand