Congressmen warn against 'tuko' over-hunting

MANILA, Philippines – A gecko-hunting frenzy that is sweeping many of the rural counties in the Philippines is worrying some congressmen.

Several congressmen are now calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to look into the massive and indiscriminate trading of geckos, known in the Philippines as "tuko."

Geckos are a species of lizard that belongs to the Gekkonidae family and found in warm climates throughout the world.

In a press statement, Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento said that the Internet and some buy-and-sell magazines were flooded with classified ads on gecko trading. Some ads claim to be from agents of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Sarmiento added that in some of the ads offer to pay as much as P3-million for a single live gecko weighing 400 grams and up.

Because of this, gecko-hunting has become a nationwide fad, although there have been no reports of anyone becoming a millionaire for selling geckos.

Sarmiento warned that the gecko-hunting fad may push the animal into extinction, causing irreversible effects on the environment.

Geckos are known to feed on insects such as mosquitoes and flies.

The ads from WHO claim that geckos have potent medicinal properties and are being bought by pharmaceutical companies who are developing medicines for cancer and even AIDS.

"Whether or not these ads are authentic or not, this indiscriminate poaching of geckos have very serious and long-term implications on our ecosystem. Our tukos are a key element in balancing our ecosystem," Sarmiento said.

Ang Kasangga Rep. Teodorico Haresco said that geckos are nature’s most effective weapon against insect overpopulation. He added that their extinction would certainly offset the country’s biodiversity.

"There is a need for DENR to look into this gecko-hunting frenzy," Haresco said. He added that the department should look into the claims regarding the animal’s alleged medicinal properties.

"The DENR should now move to save the tuko from annihilation," Haresco added.

He said that no pharmaceutical firm or scientific research organization has confirmed the medicinal value of the tuko.

Haresco said that the tuko is not part of the endangered species list, but he is pushing for the DENR to classify them among the "Other Threatened Species" because of the recent hunting frenzy.