Tokay gecko- the reptile endangered by myths
This year one of the news items which frequently appeared in the local newspaper in Manipur is the arrest of individuals for smuggling or catching Tokay gecko. Similar news items appeared in the newspapers of neighbouring northeast states too. These reptiles were being smuggled to the South East Asian countries like China, Indonesia etc where it is in high demand. The villagers had been catching the Tokay gecko from the forest because of the rumour that an adult Tokay Gecko weighing above 200 grams can fetch more than 20 lakhs rupees on an average. So what is Tokay gecko and why is it in high demand in these countries?
Physical features:
The scientific name of Tokay gecko is Gekko gecko. It belongs to the geckonidae family and appears like a giant lizard. It has a bluish grey skin with orange spots on it. It has large, prominent eyes covered with a transparent membrane. They do not have eyelids. The colour of the eyes ranges from brown to red or yellow. One can see straight through one side of its small ears to the other end. It has a red tongue. A matured adult male reaches around 40 cm in length while the female is little shorter with the length reaching around 30cm. The males are more brightly colored than the females. They can also be distinguished from the females by the little swelling present in front of the tail. If we pass our hand on its abdominal region, the males would feel slightly bumpy while the female will be smooth all over. Moreover, the male usually secrete a yellowish waxy substance from the small pores that are present near the tail.
Other Characteristics:
Its name is derived from the typical 'tok- ay' sound it makes. It is mostly found in the forest of southeast countries like Philippines, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, North-eastern parts of India. They are nocturnal animal and become active during the night. Most of them come out of their hiding place a little before the dusk. Being territorial, the male would fight with other males to defend its territory. However two or more females can share the same nesting place. At the time of laying eggs, the female gecko would search for a suitable place, lay its egg and stick it to the surface with glue like substances. They are also solitary and seek mates only during mating season.
They can hide from their enemies by darkening or lightening their body to suit the surroundings. Like other lizards, it also show the ability to regenerate its tail. When the tail is touched it leaves it wriggling behind. The wriggling tail distracts the enemy momentarily which gives it sufficient time to escape. A new tail regenerates in place of the old ones within three weeks.
Tokay gecko usually feeds on different insects like worms, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers and locusts etc. But in captivity, people are known to feed them chicken pieces in order to fatten them.
Some beliefs related to Tokay Gecko:
In many south East Asian countries, Tokay Gecko is an important part of traditional beliefs and folklores. For instance in Japan it is taken as an incarnation of the imperial dragon so it is a part of many rituals. In Indonesia, it is believed that Gecko can bring good luck to its owner, especially if it has two or three forked tails. Gecko has also been used for predicting the future in some parts of Indonesia. The person would ask question and predictions are made based on the number of times it makes its typical sound.
Apart from being a part of folklores, one of the reasons why it is highly prized is because of its reported medicinal values. In many Traditional Chinese medicine, powdered dried skins of Tokay gecko is an important ingredient along with other medicinal herbs for treating several diseases like asthma, diabetes, skin diseases, cancer etc. They are especially known to be effective in curing skin diseases. Nowadays, some people also believe that consuming its tongue and the heart can cure incurable diseases like AIDS (Acquired Immuno deficiency Syndrome). Such beliefs originated from the fact that the saliva of Tokay gecko contains a compound called Tri- Hexapentaphenicol which is said to be effective in combating deadly virus like HIV and H1N1. However, it needs to be mentioned that so far, no proper scientific research has been conducted to study its effect on these viruses.
Another reason for its high demand is for rearing as a pet. Many people are attracted by its bright appearance. However, Tokay Gecko which is caught from the wild cannot be tamed easily and become aggressive when touched. If it feels threatened it gives a painful bite to the person. Even new born hatchlings show aggressiveness. Under captivity some wild Tokay Gecko become stressed and lose their brightness and turn dark.
Trade and Conservations:
With its population dwindling in Philippines and Malaysia, the poachers are now turning to the northeast India particularly the states of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram. The villagers are paid Rupees 2000 onwards for an adult Gecko. But as the villagers are paid better for healthy adult Tokay Gecko, many villagers have taken up to catching it from the wild and rearing it themselves. They sell it for higher price later. From the north east regions they are taken to other south East Asian countries through Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Alarmed at the illegal flourishing of its trade, countries like Philippines and Malaysia have already listed it under the different conservation Acts. In Philippines, under the Republic Act 1947 a person requires valid license to conduct any activity related to trade on Tokay gecko. Illegal trades on it can fetch various punishments such as imprisonment up to twelve years and a fine of up to 1,000,000 pesos. In Malaysia also it is listed under Schedule 1, Section 3 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, Act 716 which also makes it compulsory for an individual to register the possession of Tokay Gecko and to have a valid license to carry trade on it. But in other countries, though various conservation acts are enacted that prohibits trade on wild life; special mention is not made on Tokay Gecko.
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