A camouflaged Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko clinging to a tree trunk. — Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Henkel's Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus henkeli

A Madagascar gecko whose flat, leaf-shaped tail and bark-colored skin make it nearly invisible on tree trunks.

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About the Henkel's Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Henkel's leaf-tailed geckos grow 10 to 12 inches long and weigh up to 3 ounces. They live in tropical forests of Madagascar, spending most of their lives in trees. Their leaf-shaped tails and bark-colored skin are camouflage. They are nocturnal and eat worms, insects and other invertebrates, and sticky pads on their feet help them climb.^[2]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Uroplatus henkeli^[1]
Size: 10 to 12 inches long.^[2]
Weight: Up to 3 ounces.^[2]
Lifespan: 7 to 10 years.^[2]
Diet: Carnivore. Worms, insects and other invertebrates.^[2]
Habitat: Tropical forest.^[2]
Where it lives: Madagascar.^[2]
Group life: Nocturnal; lives in trees.^[2]
Babies: 2 to 4 eggs buried on the forest floor.^[2]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2009).^[3]

Fun facts

This gecko's eyes are 350 times more sensitive to light than ours.^[1]
It has no eyelids and licks its eyes clean.^[2]
Its tail looks just like a leaf.^[2]

Vocabulary

camouflage: Colors or patterns that help an animal blend in.
gecko: A small lizard, often with sticky toe pads for climbing.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
regenerate: To regrow a lost body part.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · Reptile and Amphibian Discovery RoomSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/henkels-leaf-tailed-gecko/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] Oregon Zoo. “Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko.” https://www.oregonzoo.org/animals/henkels-leaf-tailed-gecko (accessed 2026-10-02)
[3] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Uroplatus henkeli.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/178653/7589062 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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