The antiquity of the Chameleon Gecko Carphodactylus laevis has been used as evidence for a Gondwanan origin. It is the only member of its genus and is found exclusively in the Wet Tropical Rainforests of North Queensland.

Its largely fleshy, white-tipped tail is held aloft and even waggled from side to side, in the face of ominous danger. Under extreme threat, it will jettison its tail, which flip-flops from side to side. An opening on the broken surface opens and closes with each flexion, producing a sound which is remarkably similar to the distress call of a juvenile rodent.

The predator has its attention strategically drawn to the bouncing, squeaking, flip-flopping, white-tipped morsel, whilst the more important part of the gecko conceals itself into hiding. Regeneration of the tail is complete in about six months. The original tail (shown in the inset) is even more distinctive than all successive tails.

Such is the effectiveness of this decoy and regeneration strategy, that the Chameleon Gecko has endured remarkably.

As a newcomer to the rainforest you will see trees, a great many of incredible diversity, but you will be hard pressed to see the intricate and secretive wildlife. You really need to go with a local expert, someone who lives in the rainforest, to help you to see.

Look closely at the picure above. See the lichen spider? These are common in the rainforest, but rarely seen. We locate them at night, from their “eye-shine.” If you come on a night walk, you will learn how to use your torch (flashlight) to pick up a multitude of the secret critters of the forest. Finding them again in daylight is the tricky part because it requires detailed knowledge of every tree to find the one with the invisible spider.

Exploring the intracies and interrelatedness of the rainforest has become a challenge for Cooper Creek Wilderness. We have moved to another dimension in rainforest interpretation that constantly amazes our guests.

We enjoy sharing these intimate glimpses with visitors to the Daintree who want a more meaningful experience than can be achieved on a boardwalk.

Over the next few entries we will give you a glimpse of the secretive life of Cooper Creek Wilderness and hope that you will comment on our blog.