<< Have any of you seen the GGA video of Pether's Gecko Night talk? He
shows
different morphs, and also talks about looking for them under camel dung
and
trash like coke cans>>
Haven't seen the video, but do remember the lecture - as I was present in
the audience. Just along the coast you can find the variation that Pether
refers to. What I am referring to are inland animals that are probably
capable of eating the Pether animals. Jim lives in the Canary Is. and
understandably just settles in on the coast like everyone else I've ever
talked to. If by chance I missed something in his lecture that refers to
large inland morphs, and perhaps others, clue me in and I will need to get
the video. Otherwise, from what I remember Pether visited a number of
localities along coastal highway P41, such as Cap Boujdour, Cap Draa,
Tarfaya, and Laayoune. Places that virtually every Geckonia beach-comber
hits. The problem with camel dung is the problem with camels. In the
Sahara, camels are not common. Common in the sense that you see them
commonly, along with their pies, in any Geckonia habitat. Now, I do not
want to get technical or descriptive about Camel pies, but the obvious
characteristics apply here - and that is not only are they rare, but they
are subject to drying to a crisp fritter in the dry Sahara within a matter
of one hour or two. Camel dung has somehow gained a position which most
authors feel mystify the reader, and therefore include it. The truth, in
my opinion, is that Geckonia MAY in fact occasionally visit such spots, but
for one of two reasons:
1. insects attracted to the dung
2. lack of adequate hiding spots in the vicinity of the dung. Under
these conditions, rest assured that a camel dung-ite will be, by all
purposes, a worthless brittle wafer within a few hours.
I think these authors are more attracted to the stinking camel dung then
the Geckonia, seriously. I base my observations on my open-mindedness in
wanting to learn, making no assumptions, gathering my own observations, and
spending roughly 2.5 months in the habitat. Not a long time, but not short
either - because there is little else to do in this desert. My experience
has included finding a few Geckonia under camel dung (I normally do not
admit to such endeavors), but infinitely more under other cover.
The fundamental problem with these theories is that the true understanding
of how Geckonia would live in the ABSENCE of these foreign materials
(dung-ites, pop-cans, and black trash bags) is lost. One is left with the
impression that it is necessary to wonder around from turd to turd in hopes
of finding their first Geckonia. Well, Moroccan people eat camels, and if
there are no camels, then do the Geckonia also vaporize off to camel
heaven? They live somewhere, and not in the dung.
Jon
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