LIZARD mania has hit Sparsholt College after a successful breeding programme resulted in the birth of three crested geckos.
The new additions to the college’s animal management centre have proved an instant hit with staff and learners alike. Three eggs were incubated and hatched to produce the tiny lizards, which are usually native to New Caledonia.
Centre manager Chris Mitchell, 48, said: “They are a very endearing lizard, both unusual and interesting.
“They look a little like a chinchilla, but tend to move their heads more.
“They are endangered in the wild although not unusual among domestic owners.”
The animal management centre houses three – the breeding pair and one lone male. The crested gecko was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994.
The young geckos will join 600 animals from 100 species that the college has to provide practical training for its animal management and veterinary nursing students.
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