The existence of Tokay Gecko, locally known as Takkhak, is threatened in the country due to its rampant illegal hunting as a notion is there that its illicit business can make one a millionaire overnight, reports UNB.
Wildlife conservationists said poachers are largely involved in hunting Tokay Gecko across the country because of its high demand as there is a mistaken belief that the derivatives of the species can cure AIDS and cancer and it could be sold in the international market at an unusual price.
"Although there's no scientific evidence of such claim that traditional medicine prepared from Tokay Gecko is curable of AIDS or cancer, its widespread hunting continues," IUCN country representative Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad told the news agency.
Tokay Gecko is the second largest gecko species attaining lengths of about 11-20 inches. Its habitats range from India, Nepal and Bangladesh to Indonesia, and to the Philippines and New Guinea.
Illegal trade of Tokay is very common in Bangladesh. On November 19, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a drive seized a Gecko from the city's Moghbazar area and arrested four wildlife traffickers in this regard.
Tokay Geckos have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years to treat cancer, asthma, diabetes, skin disorders and other ailments. Tokay Geckos wine or whiskey is consumed as an aphrodisiac or as an energy drink in many Asian countries, he said.
Illegal hunting threatens existence of Tokay Gecko
FE Team | Published: November 22, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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