The rare dark brown and purple Bent-toed Gecko, not known to many of the people of Ukhrul was sighted by a middle age man at the thickly forested area on 31st January, 2026 at Hunphun village in Ukhrul district, Manipur.
Ramshim Zimik of Viewland, stated that he sighted the single Bent-toed Gecko while he was working at the rivulet area at Tuira farmland, Ukhrul district. According to him, he heard a strange noise of the nearby forest. Out of his curiosity, he immediately began to salvage the area. This Gecko was found living in decayed/decayed wood. Sighting the species for the first time, he hurried to capture the rare species due to its unique looks. Ramshim feeds the Gecko with insect for sometime, but after he change his mind. It will be a sin making the animal to cage it as a prisoner. So he let the animal free and released it to the same forest area. According to him, the Gecko is about 100 gm in weight. Its length would be roughly 25 cm with four legs with sticky toe pads.
Meanwhile, speaking to some elders of Ukhrul, Shimreisa Ragui said that he had seen the purple Bent-toed Gecko somewhere at the Marongkhui forest area of Ukhrul. According to him, the local name of the gecko is Chirang haipho. It is seldom observed in Ukhrul which adds more curiosity to sight for the area.
Photo of Bent-toed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus) from Tuira farmland at Hunphun village, Ukhrul, Manipur (Photo credits: Ramshim Zimik and Ersilia Jajo).
The body appearance can be easily identifiable by markings on the back of the body by paired dark blotches in transverse stripes and whitish at the belly, not venomous animal unlike some snakes species. They are active at night hours. Their ecological habitat consists of mainly secondary forest consisting of bamboo and broad-leaved trees and moderately dense undergrowth of herbaceous vegetation, small rocky streams or closed to waterfall.
The scientific publication similar to this species Cyrtodactylus namtiram (Namtiram Bent-toed Gecko) is available recorded from the Namtiram village (approximately 7 km before reaching Aziuram village coming from Tamenglong town) Tamenglong district, Manipur by Mahony and Kamei in 2021.
Interestingly, the encounter from the current vicinity in Ukhrul district may serve novelty in pursuit of wildlife documentation or knowledge. It needs to be investigated for its diversity, conservation status and distribution. The Ukhrul district in Manipur comes under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot region, meaning high endemic wild plants and animals is present and needs to conduct extensive field work here however, it may be noted such study required prior written permission from the concern Forest Department.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of 2024, they are classified under the threatened category reported by Lasota et al. 2025. Until now no other record is available from other parts of Manipur, except this present image and may become a priority to verify for its taxonomic account. The anecdotal encounter of Cyrtodactylus from this part in Ukhrul should serve as a means to encourage genuine wildlife research or enthusiasts, contribute at large in the scientific community and their main significance in the area and awareness of this uncommon animal to the general populace.
Authors:
Dr. Ersilia Jajo, Department of Zoology, Pettigrew College, Ukhrul, Manipur.
Ramshim Zimik, Hunphun, Ukhrul, Manipur.
Mungchan Zimik, The Sangai English Express correspondent and
Dr. Ht. Decemson, Department of Zoology, Don Bosco College (Autonomous), Maram, Senapati, Manipur.
