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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
02/04/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/05/2026 09:18
Florida reef gecko added to state Threatened and Endangered Species List
Today, at its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) gave final approval to designate the Florida reef gecko as State-designated Threatened, adding it to the state's Threatened and Endangered Species List.
New Species Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines, an accompanying Species Action Plan, and an update to the Imperiled Species Management Plan were also approved as part of the listing process.
State-designated Threatened species are protected from take except for permitted activities as outlined in Chapter 68A-27, F.A.C., and authorizations within the Species Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines.
The FWC received a request to evaluate the Florida reef gecko in 2021. Agency biologists and external experts completed a subsequent Biological Status Review Report, which found the species met listing criteria due to its restricted range and projected future population declines. Commissioners approved the listing recommendation at their May 2024 Commission meeting, making the gecko a candidate species for listing as Threatened. Today's approval completes the listing process for this species.
The Florida reef gecko is a small lizard that occurs in coastal south Florida, including the Florida Keys. It is most often found in moist, leaf-covered habitat in tropical hardwood hammocks, but can be found in pinelands, vacant lots and, occasionally, suburban areas. Little is known about its biology, but recent surveys found the gecko in only 60% of its historical sites. Threats to the Florida reef gecko population include habitat loss and degradation, overwash and flooding from tropical storm systems, sea level rise, nonnative species, and reptile diseases. As part of the Species Action Plan to improve the species' conservation status, the FWC will work with local governments, landowners, land managers, researchers and other partners to preserve and manage habitat, monitor Florida reef gecko populations, and learn more about the species and its threats.
For an overview of the state listing process and to view Florida's Threatened and Endangered Species List, visit MyFWC.com/Listing.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission published this content on February 04, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 05, 2026 at 15:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]