Department of Conservation Te Anau staff are "devastated" after a much-loved gecko at the local visitor centre was taken.

Graham, a Marlborough green gecko, had been in his terrarium at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre for 30 years.

Staff noticed he was gone on Wednesday. The padlock to his terrarium was missing and marks on the latch pointed toward it having been forced or cut.

DOC representatives say the gecko has lived in one place all its life, and it might now be subjected to uncomfortable experiences.