Hide-and-seek champion: The gecko found after 33 years!

This children’s article, Hide-and-seek champion: The gecko found after 33 years!, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It helps children practise reading and comprehension, learn exciting vocabulary, and discover one of the world’s sneakiest reptiles. This article was written by Mark Pulley, a writer and teacher since 2017, who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.

A gecko no one had seen for three decades

In 1991, a tiny gecko was spotted clinging to a rocky cliff in South Africa’s Blyde River Canyon. Then, it vanished. 

For more than 30 years, no one could find it. Scientists called it a “lost” species and hoped it hadn’t become extinct.

But now, in a thrilling twist, the Blyde Rondavel Flat Gecko has been rediscovered! This week, two adventurous researchers, Darren Pietersen and John Davies, tracked it down.

The search begins… again

Darren and John spent seven years planning their return to the canyon. That might seem like a long time, but their habitat isn’t an easy place to visit at all. The gecko’s home is high up on a steep rocky mountain called an inselberg, surrounded by thick plants and sharp cliffs.

To get there, the researchers needed special permits and a helicopter! When they finally landed at the top, they camped there for four days, searching the cracks in rocks and shining lights into the shadows at night.

Found at last!

After just three days of searching, they spotted it. The tiny flat gecko was just clinging to the rocks like it was more than thirty years before.

The two men were ecstatic! Darren and John have been best friends since they were kids, and they’ve always loved searching for unusual animals. Darren said he especially likes studying “the species that others don’t, because they’re harder to find or just not cute enough.”

Why this matters

Until now, this gecko was considered a “lost species.” That means it hadn’t been seen in over ten years, and some scientists weren’t even sure if it was still alive, or if it was its own species at all.

Thanks to the new discovery, scientists now know it’s still out there, and not just a mystery from the past. The researchers even managed to collect DNA samples so they can learn more about this special species and protect it properly.

A lesson in small things

This sneaky little lizard shows us that there are amazing creatures out there, waiting to be found again, or even discovered for the first time. Not every animal is big or cute, some are tiny, tricky, and full of surprises.

Article vocabulary list

• Rediscovered – Found again after being lost or missing
• Gecko – A small lizard with sticky feet that can climb walls
• Inselberg – A steep rocky hill that rises suddenly from flat land
• Permit – Special permission to do something
• Ecstatic – Extremely happy and excited
• Specimen – A sample or example of something, like an animal or plant
• Nocturnal – Active at night and sleeping during the day
• Endangered – In danger of disappearing forever
• DNA – The special code inside living things that helps scientists study them
• Cryptic – Hard to see or find

Comprehension questions

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