Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis
Why in News?
The Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis is in the news because a proposed bauxite mining project by an Adani-linked group in Odisha's Balda hills directly threatens its critical, high-elevation habitat.
Taxonomy & Common Names
- Scientific Name: Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis.
- Common Names: Commonly referred to as the Jeypore ground gecko, Jeypore Indian gecko, Jeypore hill gecko, or the Patinghe Indian gecko.
- Classification: Belongs to the family Gekkonidae (Geckos) under the order Squamata (Reptiles).
History of Rediscovery
- The 130-Year Disappearance: The species was first described by British military officer Richard Henry Beddome in 1877–1878 based on a single specimen collected from the Patinghe Hills.
- Presumed Extinct: Following the initial description, it went entirely unrecorded and was widely considered extinct or lost for well over a century.
- The 2010 Resurrection: It was miraculously rediscovered in 2010 by an Indian scientist in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, bringing it back from the brink of absolute obscurity.
Geographical Range & Habitat
- Endemic Nature: It is strictly endemic to India, specifically limited to the northern Eastern Ghats ecosystem.
- Extremely Restricted Distribution: Found in isolated patches spanning a minute area of southern Odisha (e.g., Deomali and Balda hills) and northern Andhra Pradesh (e.g., Galikonda hills).
- Preferred Environment: Inhabits high-elevation semi-evergreen forests and coffee plantations located exclusively at altitudes above 1,000 to 1,500 meters.
Physical & Behavioral Characteristics
- Appearance: Features an oviform head with large subequal flat granules, a depressed body, and cylindrical fingers that are distinctly compressed at the tips (bent-toed feature). The body is covered in regular, flat brick-like scales.
- Ground-Dwelling: Unlike many arboreal geckos that climb high into trees, it is a terrestrial/ground-dwelling lizard that navigates leaf litter and boulder crevices.
- Activity & Diet: It is a primarily nocturnal, docile insectivore that hunts bugs at night and hides under rocks or forest debris during the day.
- Reproduction: It is an oviparous species, meaning it lays eggs to reproduce.
Conservation Status & Legal Protection
- IUCN Red List: Officially classified as Endangered due to its declining population, highly fragmented habitat, and tiny geographic range.
- CITES Protection: Listed under Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) to heavily regulate and restrict international commercial trade.
- Domestic Indian Law: Included under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act (amended), granting it the highest level of legal protection inside the country, akin to tigers and elephants.
Primary Environmental Threats
- Habitat Destruction: Suffering from severe habitat loss driven by deforestation, forest fires, and expansion of tourism activities.
- Industrial and Infrastructure Pressures: Industrial bauxite mining, regional hydropower initiatives, and development projects are splitting its ancestral climate refugia.
- Illegal Smuggling: Because of its beautiful, distinct body patterns and docile nature, it faces high demand from international reptile breeders and is actively targeted by the illegal pet trade.
