New Gecko Species ‘Cyrtodacylus Vanarakshaka’ Named After Assam’s Forest Department

In September 2025, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the discovery of a new bent-toed gecko, Cyrtodacylus Vanarakshaka, discovered in the montane forests of Dima Hasao district.

      - The species was named after Assam’s Forest Department, recognizing its role in forest protection.

      - The discovery increases the total number of Cyrtodactylus species reported from Assam to five.

      - The finding was published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity by a team of researchers including Manmath Bharali, Mathipi Vabeiryureilai, and Rupankar Bhattacharjee.

Main Point :-   (i) The name Vanarakshaka comes from Sanskrit words vana (forest) and rakshaka (protector), symbolizing conservation.

      (ii) The species belongs to the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis group, known for high endemism and restricted distribution in Northeast India.

(iii) This discovery highlights the biodiversity importance of Assam’s montane forests, which host rare and endemic reptilian fauna.