The role of human-provisioned resources in determining the ecology and population dynamics of Moreau’s House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) within the Punda Maria tourist camp in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Commensalism with humans has advantaged many animals, including Hemidactylus mabouia which has spread in association with human settlements. What factors or resources increase fitness for H. mabouia in association with humans? We sampled populations of commensal H. mabouia geckos inside the Punda Maria rest camp in the Kruger National Park and compared body condition and abundance with populations of the same species sampled outside the camp. Association with humans resulted in greater densities supported in campsite buildings and body condition was improved. Insect presence was confirmed to be positively related to proximity to light source and thus prey abundance was enhanced compared with geckos outside the rest camp. Body condition variability in the human-associated population was best explained by bite force controlled for body size; we found no significant role for measured environmental variables. No evidence for sexual dimorphism was obtained and in contrast to current knowledge no evidence of male territoriality was found. Since tail loss was equal in males and females, this was ascribed to predation rather than territoriality.