Perlis Believed To Be Southernmost Distribution For Black Tokay Gecko - Researcher

KANGAR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The black tokay gecko (Gekko cf. dam) has so far been recorded only in Perlis within Malaysia, making it one of the most exciting findings of a scientific biodiversity expedition in the Bukit Papan Forest Reserve and part of the Kurong Batang (South) Forest Reserve in Kuala Perlis, near here.

Expedition lead researcher Dr Razak Terhem, from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) Faculty of Forestry and Environment, said the species was not endemic to Perlis as its distribution extended outside Malaysia, including Thailand, based on preliminary findings presented by researchers during the expedition.

"Based on available data so far, in Malaysia, this black tokay gecko has only been recorded in Perlis. Furthermore, based on expedition data and research by the Perlis Forestry Department, we believe Perlis is the southernmost distribution area for this species," he said.

He told reporters this after the expedition's closing ceremony here today, which was officiated by Perlis Agriculture, Health, Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives, and Environment Committee chairman Megat Hashirat Hassan.

Razak said the discovery reinforced the importance of Perlis as a unique biodiversity area within the Nakawan Range landscape, particularly influenced by microclimates, limestone formations and forest ecosystems that formed distinct habitats in the state.

According to Razak, the expedition also discovered an orchid species with potential as a new species, currently undergoing documentation and expert verification before any official announcement is made. Four ginger species were also recorded, including one found in bloom after last being recorded flowering in 2001.

"After more than 20 years, we found this species flowering again. This discovery shows that much of Perlis’ biodiversity treasures still require periodic monitoring and research because not all species can be detected during every expedition," he said.

According to Razak, the expedition, which ran from Aug 16 until today, brought together 105 researchers from local and international higher learning institutions, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) conducting research across various fields related to biodiversity, ecology and forest resource management.

"Throughout the expedition, about 16 mammal species, 60 bird species, 70 butterfly species and around 25 herpetofauna species, including snakes, frogs and lizards, were recorded. For flora, we recorded 28 woody plant species, about 18 orchid species, 20 fern species and around 150 climbing and creeping plant species.

"For fungi, over 120 findings were recorded, with about 33 being new records for Perlis. However, the figures still need to be refined to ensure there is no duplication of species," he said.

The scope of the expedition, he said, extended beyond a flora and fauna inventory to include research in hydrology, geology, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, cave mapping, archaeology, carrying capacity, safety aspects, and community-based ecotourism potential.

He added that the multidisciplinary approach was vital to providing a more comprehensive picture of the ecological and scientific value of the area, while providing information that could be used in forest management and conservation planning.

-- BERNAMA