Leaf-tailed Geckos` laboratory at BION Terrarium Center (BTC), Kyiv, Ukraine, was started 14 years ago.
Laboratory for keeping and breeding of U. phantasticus and U. ebenaui.
Laboratory for keeping and breeding of U. giganteus, U. henkeli and U.fimbriatus.
Since 2010, thirteen species of leaf-tailed geckos have been bred in the laboratory, including 5 species bred on a regular basis in 4–7 generations.
Currently, the laboratory consists of 6 rooms (a total area of 130 square meters), equipped with climate control systems that provide full-cycle service to the breeding stock – from winter dormancy to incubation of eggs. Three keepers work under the supervision of PhD scientist and Deputy Director for Science of BION.
Most of these people have basic biological education or went through a long process of practical training before evolving key skills to work in the Laboratory on more complicated tasks. All work is done strictly according to the inner working protocols of BTC, based on original manuals. The staff is taking care of forming breeding pairs/groups; monitoring condition of the whole stock and individual animals; providing basic veterinary care, if necessary; keeping the statistics of gene lines, when possible; running routine service (cleaning, feeding, moving etc.); and taking care of clutches and hatchlings. All information on husbandry and breeding is collected and analyzed by the BION Research and Development Department.
Moments of the annual breeding seasons.
These data, especially collected from representative samples, are of particular importance not only from the commercial viewpoint, but also for the proper scientific research.
Such information is absolutely impossible to collect in the Wild Nature.
Thus Herpetoculture is always an invaluable information base for herpetology.
Since the foundation of BION Terrarium Center in 1993, we have bred 127 species of amphibians and reptiles all together. For today, manuals for husbandry and breeding of 70 species have been prepared. Some manuals are written in cooperation with breeders and experts from other countries.
As of January 1, 2025, about 1600 heads of arboreal geckos have been kept at the BTC Laboratory. Average annual production of the lab is about 2000 heads of geckos, including 300–500 leaf-tailed geckos depending on the season. The full stock-list includes 24 species. Leaf-tailed geckos are represented by satanic leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus phantasticus), spearpoint leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus ebenaui), Uroplatus fiera, common leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus fimbriatus), giant leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus giganteus), Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus henkeli), northern leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus alluaudi), cork-bark leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus pietschmanni) Günther's leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus guentheri), lined leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus lineatus), southern flat-tailed geckos (Uroplatus sikorae), Sameit’s flat tailed gecko (Uroplatus sameiti).
According to our info, BION has the largest found stock of Uroplatus spp kept in captivity.
All the breeding stock formed during the last 17 years was imported through official CITES quotas or has valid EU yellow paperwork and appropriate documentation. Current stock either originates from the wild (according to the official quotas), obtained from breeders in EU or was captive bred at the BTC.
Incubation of eggs of different species.
Our main goal is mass production of healthy and strong leaf-tailed geckos ex situ.
As of now, BTC team members co-authored 5 scientific papers, including an article “The Data on the Reproductive Biology of the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus phantasticus (Squamata, Gekkonidae), at the BION Terrarium Center as a contribution to ex situ offspring programs” in a “Zoodiversity” Journal (indexed in Scopus, Q3, link: http://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/ ) and an article "Data on the reproductive biology and temperature-dependent patterns of Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus henkeli, at the BION Terrarium Center" in a "Herpetological Review" journal (indexed in Scopus, Q4; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/... ).
Currently, the team of the lab authored/co-authored the following scientific papers (materials published since 2017 are indicated):
- Dubyna Anastasiia, Tkachev Dmitri, Neizhko Ivan, Nekrasova Oksana, Marushchak Oleksiі // Development of breeding techniques in herpetoculture as an approach to leaf-tailed geckos’ (Gekkonidae, Uroplatus) conservation // Abstract book of 62nd International Conference for students of physics and natural sciences “Open Readings 2019” on March 19-22, Vilnius, Lithuania. – Vilnius. – 2019 – P. 467.
- Дубина А. Д., Марущак О. Ю., Неїжко І. П., Некрасова О. Д. Досвід розведення гігантського мадагаскарського листохвостого гекона (Uroplatus giganteus Glaw, Kosuch, Henkel, Sound & Bohme, 2006) в контрольованих умовах // Матеріали Х Міжнародної конференції Українського герпетологічного товариства (16-18 вересня, 2019 р., Кам’янець-Подільський). – Київ. – 2019. – C. 18-19.
- Marushchak O. Yu., Tkachev D. O., Nekrasova O. D., Marushchak A. D. The data on the reproductive biology of the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Uroplatus phantasticus (Squamata, Gekkonidae), at the BION Terrarium Center as a contribution to ex situ offspring programs // Zoodiversity. – 2022. – V. 56(1). – P. 29-38. https://doi.org/10.15407/zoo2022.01.029
- Marushchak O., Marushchak A., Tkachev D., Ghivora G., Nekrasova O. Data on the Reproductive Biology and Temperature-dependent Patterns of Henkel’s Leaf-tailed Gecko, Uroplatus henkeli, at the BION Terrarium Center // Herpetological Review. – 2022. – Vol. 53(4). P. 610–616.
- Bergmann L., Marushchak O., Tkachev D., Marushchak A. Responsible Herpetoculture of leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus spp.) as an effective tool for ex situ species conservation. Programm und Zusammenfassungen (Program and Summaries) 18 bis 22 September 2024 of 60. Jahrestagung für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde. – 2024. – P. 19-20.
Additionally, 7 articles are planned to be published highlighting the results of the work done in the Laboratory and making its achievements available for scientific community. The results of this work were also presented at three international conferences in Ukraine (Х International Conference of Ukrainian Herpetological Society (16-18 September 2019, Kamianets-Podils’kyi), Lithuania (the 2nd International Conference on Biomedical Sciences “Smart Bio”, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, 2018), the USA (Herpeton, 2019, “Legend’s Herpetoculture Conference”) and Germany (60 Jahrestagung für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde, Bonn (18-22 September 2024)). Practical manual developed as a result of the Laboratory activity are available for all interested parties on BION’s web site: https://bion.com.ua/breeding-keeping/ and in “Manuals” section of Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation site: https://responsibleherpetoculture.foundation/ . International cooperation in terms of the Laboratory’s functioning includes close cooperation with Philip-Sebastian Gehring (PhD, Technische Universität Braunschweig, author of the book “Leaf-tailed Geckos – The Complete Uroplatus”, Germany), Philippe de Vosjoli, President, RHF = Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation, USA) Mihails Pupins (Doctor of Biological Sciences, Daugavpils University, Latvia); Oksana Nekrasova (PhD, I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology NAS Ukraine, Ukraine).
Just several examples of the lab’s work.
The scientific and educational activities of the BION Terrarium Center are also complemented by such projects, related to the activity of the lab, as:
- the international project Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation = RHF www.responsibleherpetoculture.foundation and the Responsible Herpetoculture Journal www.responsibleherpetoculture.foundation/category/rh-journal/ ;
- participation in an educational project for children during the war – Sciense4Kids (INSCIENSE project) with popular science lectures ( https://youtu.be/ ; https://youtu.be/ );
- conducting lectures on herpetology, herpetoculture and practical nature conservation and excursions for students of the National Research Center "Institute of Biology and Medicine" of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv:
( https://www.facebook.com/bion.terrarium.center/posts/... ; https://www.facebook.com/bion.terrarium.center/posts/... ; https://www.facebook.com/bion.terrarium.center/posts/...) ;
- creation of technical, resource and personnel capabilities and organization of methodological and practical components to ensure the implementation of potential programs for the establishing reserve populations of rare species of aboriginal herpetofauna, if necessary, as well as within the framework of Ukraine's implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity;
- Collaboration with reputable similar missions organisarions like DGHT(Germany), RRK (The UK), Herpoetofauna Foundation (The Netherlands) and other to promote the Herpetoculture as the strong tool of ex situ conservation.
- official collaboration with the I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of the NAS of Ukraine;
- official cooperation with the reputable German organization of herpetologists and terrariumists - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde (https://www.dght.de/) on expertise in reptile husbandry and breeding;
- in 2024 we have been providing consultations to Chester Zoo (UK) concerning the herpetoculture approaches we use for regular breeding and maintaining of the line of Uroplatus henkeli (Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos).
Arboreal Gecko’s laboratory benefits for species protection and conservation for today:
1. Providing professional manuals for husbandry and breeding of leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus spp.) to the zoos, breeding centers and conservationists.
2. Possibility to create reserve groups of other Uroplatus sp. based on previous experience.
3. Participation in research programs on genetics, ethology and conservation of Uroplatus spp.
https://tradeview.cites.org/en/taxon
One of the most important results of the work of our laboratory is that in 2024, Ukraine will take the 2nd place in the world in terms of legal export of geckos of the genus Uroplatus, having exported, and therefore introduced into herpetoculture, almost 1,200 individuals of these geckos.
Breeding statistics of Uroplatus species since the start of full-scale war (Russian invasion in Ukraine).
We are always open for cooperation with interested parties!
The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than 900 days. Despite the fact that in 2022 the breeding process was disrupted due to temporary evacuation of our lizards to safe place out of Kyiv, we maintain our business activity and do everything we can to save the breeding stock and our facilities.
For more info pls check https://bion.com.ua/bion-in-the-middle-of-war/
Any financial support of BION's research and conservation activity is very welcome! Your support of Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation (including Responsible Herpetoculture Journal) is much appreciated ( www.responsibleherpetoculture.foundation )!
We are happy to acknowledge Sponsor’s support in the publications of BION Terrarium Center and Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation (RHF), including RH Journal (pls check the last issue for reference), and in any public media presentation or other event. Sponsor’s logo is needed for this purpose.