EAST WILLIAMSBURG, Brooklyn (PIX11) -- They say there's something for everyone in the city that never sleeps.
That includes visiting with dozens of nocturnal geckos at a new exhibit in East Williamsburg.
In fact, The Gecko Gallery NYC in the McKibbin Lofts features approximately 150 to 200 lizards of nearly 70 species. It's being billed as one of the largest public displays of rare and endangered geckos.
It's the brainchild of two Brooklyn-born men who developed a love of lizards early in life.
29-year-old Richie Laleh and 19-year-old Joseph Migirov decided to open the exhibit when they realized their private collections were getting too large for a New York City apartment. Both gecko enthusiasts say they believe strongly in educating the public about the geckos and working towards conservation efforts for the endangered species.
Laleh told PIX11 News, "People think about rhinos and tigers and they're like we need to save the white rhino and we need to save the blue whale, but there are also tons of smaller species."
Migirov said, "The geckos come from private breeders just like us, private facilities, as well as zoos." They are putting male and female geckos of the same species in the same glass tanks, adding, "This way we are able to increase their population numbers in captivity."
Laleh said, "I want people to fall in love, I want people to come in here and be like, wow, I never knew about it, and I now I know about it, and I'm entranced."
Migirov added, "I would love for people to know their charisma, to know how important their ecological niches are, what purposes they serve in the wild."
The Gecko Gallery NYC opens May 10th. It is $20 to enter, but for $30, you can see both the geckos and tour the Bone Museum, which is also located in the McKibbin Lofts on McKibbin Street.
English (US) ·