Guwahati: The North East has emerged as a major hub for trafficking of Gecko lizard during the last one year which came to light following the arrest of several persons, including a former militant leader, recently.
Rhinos, tigers and elephants have been the usual target of wildlife traffickers but during the last few months, the arrest of more than ten persons, including Dima Halam Daoga Chief Dilip Nunisa in Assam has brought to fore an international network of traffickers of the gecko lizard.
Nunisa was arrested along with two others with the reptile in their possession a couple of months ago following which more than ten persons were arrested, a senior police official said.
Nunisa’s interrogation brought to light the value of the lizard in the international market with each animal being traded for an amount ranging from Rs 25 lakh to nearly a crore, the official said.
Another arrested person in Karbi Anglong district told the police that local tribals are usually involved in trapping and catching the gecko and they usually manage to catch the younger ones.
Many catchers usually keep them at home for few months and then sell them when they are fully grown up. The middlemen who buy the Geckos from the catchers take the reptiles to the border town of Moreh in Manipur from where another chain of traffickers smuggle them to Myanmar for an international destination.
The North Eastern states of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland have become a major hub of gecko poaching during the past one year following the near extinct status of the animal in neighbouring Myanmar which is the major transit route for smuggling these animals to South Eastern countries.
Tokay geckos are being caught and trafficked from northeastern Indian states to Southeast Asian countries, where many people believe that medicines made from gecko meat can cure diseases such as cancer, AIDS and even impotency.
Besides, it also serves as a drug, which if applied in a mild dose can lead to a high.
Myanmar-based traffickers serve as the middlemen in the chain and they supply geckos to China, Indonesia, Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
Conservationists have demanded stricter laws and its enforcement to ensure that the geckos do not vanish from the region. Geckos have almost vanished from Myanmar and the other south-east Asian countries after being targeted by wildlife smugglers for many years, noted wildlife expert Soumyadeep Dutta said.
The international wildlife traffickers have their eyes set on India and if the government does not act now, the geckos would also become extinct in the region, he said.
Tokay gecko, which is a nocturnal reptile found in most parts of Asia, has bluish or greyish body, and with spots ranging from light yellow to bright red, can grow up to 50 centimetres in length and can weigh up to 400 grams. It is also known for its strong vocals and it derives its name from the loud croak it made. (PTI)