Herping in Paradise: New Caledonia

New Caledonia is a Pacific archipelago, and French territory located around 900 miles east of Australia. The numerous islands and islets are home to some of the world’s most unique and iconic herpetofauna. Characterized largely by geckos and skinks, thereptile diversity on these islands have garnered global attention since the pioneering work of herpetologists in the 1990s. In 2024 and 2025, I visited the islands to learn more about Crested Geckos for Blue River Diets and share precious knowledge of these animals in the wild. The following article explores some observations made on both expeditions.