Firefighters Rescue Gecko Stranded in Tree

The Madison Fire Department responded to an east side residence where a pet gecko ran up a tree and would not come down. Owners feared the gecko would not survive the night with overnight temperatures expected to drop to around 60 degrees.

Engine 5 arrived at the 4000 block of Claire Street and placed a ground ladder against the tree. With the gecko approximately 30-35 feet high, a firefighter climbed the ladder and then used a pike pole to reach the rest of the way. The firefighter tried to get the gecko to grab onto the pike pole, but the gecko startled and jumped to a lower limb of the tree. It then jumped to the ground, where the owner gathered it up. The gecko was uninjured as it returned to the loving care of its owner.