INTRODUCTION:

In the world, there are more than 1050 species of geckos divided into 50 families. The Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) is the second largest gecko species. The gecko’s ability to ‘‘run up and down a tree in anyway, even with the head downwards’’ has been observed since the time of Aristotle, who mentioned these curious creatures in his manuscript, Historia Animalium, written four centuries before Christ. In the forest and rural areas of Jalpaiguri the Gecko is frequently seen. Its length ranges between 11inch to 20 inches and its weight nearly 400gm. It facilitates control of population of pest and provides food for larger snakes. (Canon and Hill, 1997) The loss of the Geckos poses an adverse impact to the forest ecosystem of Duars. (Bowler, 1975) It is a challenge for forest authorities to track trafficking of small reptiles as borders are porous and there is a daily trade among the locals. (Caillabet, 2011) (Lim et al. 2012)

STUDY AREA:

The Jalpaiguri district has ecological importance in respect of its rich biodiversity that connecting north-eastern states of India with the rest of India as well as north-eastern neighboring countries. This district lies in between 26⁰16^/ to 27⁰0^/latitude and 88⁰4^/to 89⁰ 53^/ longitude. This district is covered by Garumara national park, Baikunthapur forest, Mograhat, Diana, Chapramari and Apalchand forest. The demographic character is changing fast in Jalpaiguri district. Significant rises in unemployment and wild-animal crime are noticeable in this district. The changing scenario of this district taking in road into the natural setting.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide a regional overview of the Tokay Gecko trade.

2. To gather data more generally on trade in this species.

3. To investigate which factors best explain the Tokay Gecko trapping.

4. To explore the attitude of the local people on Gecko poaching.

Database and Methodology:

Both primary and secondary data have been collected for this study.

Primary Data:

· Sample size(n)135 (Rural local people 113 and Forest officials 22)

· People perception

Name of the village:

· Murti (n-28)

· Bichabhanga (n-31)

· Panijhora (n-17)

· Sursuti (n-16)

· Chatua (n-12)

· Kallpura (n-9)

Secondary data

Secondary data have been collected from different government and non government sources.

· Peer-reviewed scientific publication

· Information from different range office

Thereafter, these data have been analysed and interpreted applying various statistical techniques and Analytic hierarchy process.

The spatio-temporal distribution of school damage map has been prepared through ArcGIS 10.1.

Analytic hierarchy process:

Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is one of Multi Criteria decision making method that was originally developed by Prof. Thomas L. Saaty.

Comparison matrix=

The normalized principal Eigen vector can be obtained by averaging across the rows. The normalized principal Eigen vector is also called priority vector

Consistency Index=

Table: 1 Random Consistency Ratio (RI)

n	1	2	3	4	5
RI	0	0	0.58	0.9	1.12
n	6	7	8	9	10
RI	1.24	1.32	1.41	1.45	1.49

Consistency Ratio=

If the value of Consistency Ratio is smaller or equal to 10%, the inconsistency is acceptable. If the Consistency Ratio is greater than 10%, we need to revise the subjective judgment.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

According to environmentalist and wildlife experts, there is no scientific proof on preparation of medicinal items from different body parts of the Tokay Gecko. But till now it has become an expensive selling item in international market. (Caillabet, 2011) (Henderson et al. 1993)

Fig: 1 Gecko trapping process

Fig: 2 Tokay geckos trapping at different scale in forest area of Jalpaiguri district

Using fire and smoke, the local people of Duars, to drive the geckos out of the tree hole and inside the rock. The Maynaguri, Nagrakata, Rajganj, Dhupguri, Matiali CD blocks are the main source location of Tokay Gecko trapping in Duars region of Jalpaiguri district. It is one of the cross-border trades in Duars region. Selling of Tokay Gecko has become a key earning source of few local people and few use it as a secondary source of income in this region. (Fig-1 and Fig-2)

Table: 2 Factors that have influenced in changing poaching pattern in Jalpaiguri district

Factors	Gecko--mafia	Huge profit/earning	Upgradation of protected area	Special attention by Govt. for big wild animal	Priority Vector
Gecko-mafia	0.5965	0.6617	0.42	0.2142	47.00%
Huge profit/earning	0.1988	0.2205	0.42	0.3571	30.00%
Upgradation of protected area	0.1193	0.0735	0.14	0.3571	17.00%
Special attention by Govt. for big wild animal	0.0852	0.0441	0.02	0.0714	6.00%
Sum	1	1	1	1	100.00%

During the field survey when villagers and forest officials were asked to give some reason for changing poaching pattern in this region, the respondents focused on presence of the Gecko-mafia in this region (47%) , scope for huge profit/earning ( 30%), upgradation of protected area (17%), Special attention given by government for big wild animals (6%). The respondents give more focus on the presence of Gecko-mafia and scope for huge income which together responsible for 77% for gecko trapping and bring change in the pattern of wildlife trapping and poaching in Duars region. (Table-2)

It has been found that poverty (31%) of the region plays a key role in involving the locals in that kind of illegal activities. The poor forest administration is another causal factor for gecko trapping in this region, which accounts for 21 %. There are no sufficient numbers of forest guards which protect the forest of the Duars. The communication and technology (13%) making the illegal gecko trapping activity more strong by connecting local people with the gecko-mafia. Closed tea garden (13%) making the economic situation of the local worse, which in turn force the locals to illegally trap gecko from the forest. Other than above mentioned points, the habitat description (10%) in different books and online source, attract the gecko-mafia, being an animal of specialized micro habitat (7%), Tokay Gecko has been easily trapped by the locals and recently described species in scientific papers (4%) also help the gecko-mafia for doing that kind of illegal activity as it making known about unknown habitat of the small reptile species like Tokay gecko. (Table-3)

Fig: 3 Month-wise gecko trapping

Fig: 4 Length-wise market price of the Tokay Gecko

Table: 3 Opinion of local people regarding causal factors behind gecko trapping.

Factors	Poverty	Poor forest administration	Communication and technology	Closed tea garden	Habitat description	Specialized micro habitat	Recently described species in scientific paper	Priority Vector
Poverty	0.367197	0.67659	0.405844	0.233281	0.193175	0.164835	0.142857	31%
Poor forest administration	0.073439	0.135318	0.405844	0.388802	0.193175	0.164835	0.142857	21%
Communication and technology	0.073439	0.027064	0.081169	0.233281	0.193175	0.164835	0.142857	13%
Closed tea garden	0.122399	0.027064	0.026786	0.07776	0.321958	0.164835	0.142857	13%
Habitat description	0.121175	0.044655	0.026786	0.015552	0.064392	0.274725	0.142857	10%
Specialized micro habitat	0.121175	0.044655	0.026786	0.025661	0.012878	0.054945	0.238095	7%
Recently described species in scientific paper	0.121175	0.044655	0.026786	0.025661	0.021249	0.010989	0.047619	4%
	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	100%

Most of the gecko trapping has observed in the month of October to February in Duars forest. It has been seen that most of the Tokay Gecko sells at the price of Rs. 20,000 per individuals having length in 35 to 40 cm. According to Fig-4 the slope of regression line shows that the correlation between the individual price of the Tokay Gecko and length of the gecko is positive (r = 0.946) which suggest that the individual price of the gecko has been increased with length.

Fig: 5 Weight -wise market price of the Tokay Gecko

According to Fig- 5 the slope of regression line shows that the correlation between individual price of the Tokay Gecko and weight of the gecko is positive (r = 0.971) which suggest that the individual price of the gecko has been increased with weight.

Fig: 6 Average monthly income of the local people

Fig-6 shows that average monthly income of the local people of Duars is below Rs. 9000 which not only very low, but it does ‘not fulfill the daily needs also. As a result they are easily attracted by the huge money offered by gecko-mafia. After selling a gecko they get near about Rs.20000 per individuals.

Fig-7 shows that most of the respondents (about 80%) give a positive response about male participation in Tokay Gecko trapping activities and also give a positive response about easy method of capturing the gecko than other animal. Foresters and local people give an opinion that disappearance of gecko lead to breaking of ecosystem in Duars environment.

Fig: 8 Occupational pattern of local people

Fig: 9 Suggestion given by locals

Most of the people of the region are engaged in tea garden works (20%). 15% respondents work in forest department as casual labour. Cultivators (17%) and van-puller (15%) are common types of occupational pattern in this region.

During the field survey when the respondents were asked to give some suggestion against Tokay Gecko trapping, most of the respondents give focus on creating job source for the locals(29%) and on the strict judicial system for Tokay Gecko poaching (22%). Next to them, they highlighted on global support for minimizing market demand it (19%), trained forest guard (17%) and active participation of tribal women in Tokay Gecko management system. (Fig-8)

CONCLUSION:

To fulfill the demand of international market, Gecko trappers from Duars and other parts of the World have joined in chain-trafficking system. Day by day, the numbers of gecko trappers are increasing. It has been seen in this study that hundreds of local people are engaged himself in illegal trapping and selling of Tokay Gecko activity. In that way Duars has become a hub of Tokay Gecko trapping activity. It is very difficult to track trafficking of small reptile like Tokay Gecko at porous border like Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh. Tokay Gecko has become an important research topic in south-east Asia. (Das, 2010) Lots of Tokay Gecko has been seized by forest officials and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in every year. This kind of activity should immediately be stopped for the sake of maintaining forest food-chain in Duars region. (Canon and Hill, 1997) The socio-economic situation and infrastructure should be improved so that local people are not diverted towards that kind of illegal activity and strict punishment system should be incorporated with the existing rule.

REFERENCES:

1. Bowler, J.K. (1975).Longevity of reptiles and amphibians in N. American collections, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Miscellaneous Publications, Herpetological Circular 6 :1-32.

2. Caillabet, O. (2011). Malaysia at centre of Tokay Gecko Trade Boom. TRAFFIC Bulletin 23 (3): 83-84.

3. Canon, D.V. and Hill, J.L.K. (1997). The Gecko: an environmentally friendly biological agent for mosquito control. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 11 (4): 319-323.

4. Chan, S. K. F., Cheung, K., Ho, C., Lam, F., and Tang, W. (2006).The geckos of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Biodiversity: Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Newsletter, 13: 1-9.

5. Das, I. (2010). A field guide to the reptiles of south-east Asia. New Holland Publishers, London, 218.

6. Henderson, R.W., De Latte, A. and McCarthy, T.J. (1993). Gekko gecko (Sauria: Gekkonidae) established on Martinique, French West Indies, Caribbean Journal of Science. 29: 128-129.

7. Lim, T.M.S., Alcala, A.C. and Bucol, A. (2012).Progress in the conservation of the Tokay Gecko in the Philippines, TRAFFIC Bulletin, 24 (1): 7.

8. Love, W.B. (2000). Gecko gecko (Tokay Gecko). Predation. Herpetological Review, 31: 174.

9. Segniagbeto, G.H., Petrozzi, F., Aïdam, A. and luiSelli, L. (2013). Reptiles traded in the Fetish market of lomé, togo (West Africa), Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8(2): 400-408.

10. You, Q., Han, S., Zhang, Y. and Zheng, J. (2009). Anti-tumor effect and influence of Gekko gecko Linnaeus on the immunes system of sarcoma 180-bearing mice, Molecular Medicine Reports, 2(4): 573-577.

Received on 04.08.2018 Modified on 12.09.2018

Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2018; 9(4): 979-983.

DOI:10.5958/2321-5828.2018.00164.X