Endemic Animals of New Caledonia

The Crested gecko is a species of gecko native to southern New Caledonia. This species was thought extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994 during an expedition led by Robert Seipp. Crested geckos are among the largest gecko species. Among the most distinctive features of these geckos are the hair-like projections found above the eyes, which greatly resemble eyelashes. Crested geckos also have two rows of spines that run from the sides of their ...
wedge-shaped head to the base of their tail. The toes and the tip of the semi-prehensile tail are covered in small hairs called setae. The toes have small claws which aid in climbing surfaces to which their toes cannot cling. Crested geckos have many naturally-occurring color groups, including grey, brown, red, orange, and yellow of various shades. They have three color morphs in the wild, which include pattern-less, white-fringed, and tiger. Crested geckos are popular in the pet trade. Less

The New Caledonian giant gecko is the largest extant gecko in the world and is considered an example of island gigantism. It has a heavy body, loose skin, and a small, stumpy tail. It is variable in color, coming in shades of mottled green, gray, and brown. Less

The New Caledonian crow is a medium-sized member of the family Corvidae, native to New Caledonia. The bird is often referred to as the 'qua-qua' due to its distinctive call. It eats a wide range of food, including many types of invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, small mammals, snails, nuts and seeds. The New Caledonian crow sometimes captures grubs in nooks or crevices by poking a twig at the grub to agitate it into biting the twig, which the crow ...
then withdraws with the grub still attached. This method of feeding indicates the New Caledonian crow is capable of tool use. They are also able to make hooks. This species is also capable of solving a number of sophisticated cognitive tests which suggest that it is particularly intelligent. As a result of these findings, the New Caledonian crow has become a model species for scientists trying to understand the impact of tool use and manufacture on the evolution of intelligence. Less

The kagu or cagou is a crested, long-legged, and bluish-grey bird endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the genus Rhynochetos and the family Rhynochetidae, although a second species has been described from the fossil record. Measuring 55 cm in length, it has pale grey plumage and bright red legs. Its 'nasal corns' are a unique feature not shared with any other bird. Almost flightless, it ...
spends its time on or near the ground, where it hunts its invertebrate prey, and builds a nest of sticks on the forest floor. Both parents share incubation of a single egg, as well as rearing the chick. It has proven vulnerable to introduced predators and is threatened with extinction. Less

The gargoyle gecko or New Caledonian bumpy gecko is a species of gecko found only on the southern end of the island of New Caledonia. Its habitat is threatened by deforestation on the island. This species of gecko is the smallest of the six recognized species in its genus where they often reach about 125 mm in size. This gecko, along with several other Rhacodactylus species are being considered for protective measures by CITES, which would put ...
restrictions on their exportation. This gecko was first described by Bavay in 1869. Less

Nautilus macromphalus, the bellybutton nautilus, is a species of nautilus native to the waters off New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, and northeastern Australia. The shell of this species lacks a callus, leaving the umbilicus exposed, in which the inner coils of the shell are visible. This opening constitutes about 15% of the shell diameter at its widest point. Less

The terror skink, also called commonly Bocourt's terrific skink, Bocourt's eyelid skink and Bocourt's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Île des Pins, a small islet off the coast of New Caledonia. First described in 1876, the species was presumed to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1993, and since then several individuals have been seen. Because of its small area of occupation and small ...
population size, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "endangered". Less

The New Caledonian owlet-nightjar, also known as the enigmatic owlet-nightjar, is a large owlet-nightjar with vermiculated grey-brown and black plumage. It has a long, slightly rounded tail, short, rounded wings, and long, stout legs. Its voice is unknown, but other owlet-nightjar species make churring and whistling sounds. It is the second-largest known owlet-nightjar, much larger than the Australian owlet-nightjar. Less

The horned parakeet is a species of parrot in the genus Eunymphicus, in the family Psittaculidae. It is a medium-sized parrot endemic to New Caledonia. It is called "horned" because it has two black feathers that protrude from the head and have red tips. Less

The pile-builder megapode is an extinct species of megapode. The subfossil remains were found by Jean-Christophe Balouet and Storrs L. Olson in the Pindai Caves of New Caledonia. Its remains have also been found on Tonga. Less

The Ouvea parakeet or Uvea parakeet, is a species of parrot in the genus Eunymphicus, in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the island of Uvea in the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. The species was once considered conspecific with the horned parakeet of Grande Terre, but they have now been split into two species. Less

The cloven-feathered dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is monotypic within the genus Drepanoptila, but this genus is possibly better merged into Ptilinopus. The cloven-feathered dove is endemic to New Caledonia where found in forest and Melaleuca savanna at altitudes up to 1,000 m . It is considered near-threatened by the IUCN due to habitat degradation and hunting. Less

The New Caledonian ground dove is a large, extinct species of Pampusana ground dove in the pigeon family, and the largest member of its genus. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the south-west Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The specific epithet refers to the slender and elongated tarsometatarsus, or lower leg bone, ...
of the species. Less

The New Caledonian cuckooshrike or New Caledonian cicadabird is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Some taxonomists place this species in the genus Analisoma. Less

The striated starling is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Less

The New Caledonian snipe is an extinct species, of austral snipe, described from late Holocene cave deposits of New Caledonia. Less

The rufous whistler is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia and Australia. Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it makes up for its subdued plumage with its song-making ability. Like many other members of the Pachycephalidae, it has a variety of musical calls. Less

The New Caledonian rail is a large and drab flightless rail that is found on the island of New Caledonia in the Pacific. It is a dull brown above, with grey underparts, and has a yellowish, downward-curving bill. No one knows what it sounds like and it is not known whether it is nocturnal or crepuscular. Less

The goliath imperial pigeon, also known as the New Caledonian imperial pigeon and the notou, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Its natural habitat is humid forests. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as a near-threatened species. Less

The red-throated parrotfinch is a species of estrildid finch found in New Caledonia. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 20,000 to 50,000 km². Less

The white-bellied goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. The species is also known as the New Caledonia goshawk or New Caledonia sparrowhawk. Less

The Kanaka pigeon, also known as the great green pigeon or greater maned pigeon, is an extinct species of pigeon. It was probably hunted to extinction by the early settlers of New Caledonia and Tonga around 2,500 years ago. It was described from subfossil remains found at the Pindai Caves of New Caledonia. The specific epithet is a Latinisation of kanaka, the name of the native Melanesian people of New Caledonia. It was about 25% larger than its ...
closest living relative, the Nicobar pigeon. Less

The crow honeyeater is a very large honeyeater endemic to humid forests in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Less

The New Caledonian barn owl, also referred to as Letocart's barn owl, is an extinct species of owl in the barn owl family. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific region. It was described from Holocene aged subfossil bones found at the Gilles Cave paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The holotype is a complete adult left femur, held by the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in ...
Paris. The owl was described as Tyto? letocarti, indicating uncertainty as to generic placement at the time. The specific epithet honours Yves Letocart of New Caledonia's Water and Forest Service, who was active in bird conservation and paleontological work on the island. Less

The yellow-bellied flyrobin is a species of passerine bird in the Australasian robin family Petroicidae. It is the only species in the genus Cryptomicroeca. The yellow-bellied flyrobin is endemic to New Caledonia, where it occurs on the island of Grande Terre. It occupies a range of habitats, including dry lowlands, woodland, Pinus and Pandanus forest, and humid forest from sea level up to 1,525 m . Less

The streaked fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. Rhipidura verreauxi has precedence over Rhipidura spilodera . It is found in Fiji, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Less

The New Caledonian myzomela is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. The species is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the scarlet myzomela of Australia. Less

The barred honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Less

The New Caledonian friarbird is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Less

The southern shrikebill, or brown flycatcher, is a songbird species in the family Monarchidae. It is found in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Less

The south Melanesian cuckooshrike is an uncommon species of bird in the cuckooshrike family. It is found in New Caledonia, Bougainville Island, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. The species is a large cuckoo-shrike with a long square tail and all over dark grey plumage. The eye of adults is yellow, whereas that of the juvenile is dark. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist ...
montane forests. Less

The New Caledonian whistler is a species of bird in the family Pachycephalidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Less

The Melanesian whistler or Vanuatu whistler, is a species of passerine bird in the whistler family Pachycephalidae. It is found on the Loyalty Islands, Vanuatu, and Vanikoro in the far south-eastern Solomons. Less

The grey-eared honeyeater or dark-brown honeyeater, is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family which is found in Vanuatu and New Caledonia in the south-west Pacific. It is sometimes known as the silver-eared honeyeater, but this name is also used for the silver-eared honeyeater of New Guinea. Less

The small Lifou white-eye, also known as the sulphur white-eye, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the island of Lifou in New Caledonia. Less

The large Lifou white-eye is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. Less

The forest white-eye, or Cameroon green white-eye is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is found from southeastern Nigeria to southwestern Central African Republic and northern Gabon. Less

Mniarogekko chahoua commonly known as the mossy New Caledonian gecko, short-snouted New Caledonian gecko, Bavay's giant gecko, or mossy prehensile-tailed gecko, is an arboreal gecko found natively on the southern portion of the island of New Caledonia and on the outlying islands of Île des Pins. Less

Correlophus sarasinorum, also called commonly Roux's giant gecko, Sarasins' giant gecko, Sarasin's giant gecko, and the suras gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is native to the southern portions of the outlying New Caledonian island of Grande Terre. Less

The rough-snouted giant gecko, also known as the greater rough-snouted gecko or tough-snouted gecko, is an endangered species of gecko found in New Caledonia. Less