Indonesia is famous for the diversity of its wildlife. Even in such a huge and bustling city as Surabaya wildlife is everywhere. Each evening bats appear and swoop and whirl around the trees and streetlamps outside our house. Indeed when caught in a sudden downpour the bats have come into the house. During the day many different butterflies float around. They are generally larger than we see in the UK and they fly slowly, the occasional wingbeat and then glide.
Everyone has gekos in their house. Normally these are small green and brown lizards from an inch to six inches long. They emerge from holes, crevices, behind pictures and cupboards as night falls and climb the walls in search of insects. Occasionally these gekos reach giant proportions. We have had one such monster in our house for a few months. Recently he began lurking behind the fridge in the evenings. Finally at the weekend he came into view behind a cupboard in daylight and Alex and I caught him with the aid of a cardboard box and a broom. He was over a foot long and very colourful. We released him in the garden of a nearby empty house.
We also see small rodents in the house from time to time. People here call them mice but they look more like a vole or shrew. They have a very long nose and hairy tails and legs. Whatever they are they have been to fast to photograph so far.
There are other lizards about in a variety of sizes. This one lives in the front garden and tries to come into the house from time to time.
Another colourful geko from our house.
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