Malayan Forest Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus

Malayan Forest Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus

IUCN Status: Endangered

Locations: Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, including Penang Island)

The Malayan Forest #Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus, also known as the Pulchella Bent-toed Gecko, is a rare and highly specialised #reptile endemic to the dense rainforests of Peninsular #Malaysia. They thrive in the cool, humid understory, relying on pristine environments to survive. However, their future is in grave danger. Widespread deforestation for agriculture, including #palmoil plantations, #timber logging, and urban expansion, is tearing apart their habitat. As they vanish from the forests, so too does a crucial link in Malaysia’s delicate ecosystem. Every time you shop, use your wallet as a weapon #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Appearance and Behaviour

This nocturnal gecko is a vision of elegance, with an elongated body cloaked in intricate patterns of earthy browns and blacks. Their skin is smooth, almost glassy in texture, with delicate markings that shift under dim moonlight. Their striking, vertical-pupilled eyes glow a deep amber, allowing them to hunt efficiently in darkness. Unlike many other geckos, they lack the sticky toe pads that enable climbing on glass; instead, they rely on sheer muscle control and strong curved claws to scale tree trunks and rocky outcrops. When threatened, they can detach their tails in a last-ditch escape effort, leaving behind a writhing distraction while they disappear into the undergrowth.

Threats

Continued collection of the Malaysian Forest Gecko for the pet trade poses a threat to their survival, as does continued hill side development for housing and agriculture on this heavily-developed island (L. Grismer and E. Quah pers. comm. 2017).

IUCN Red list

• Palm Oil Deforestation and Habitat Destruction: Malaysia’s rainforests are rapidly disappearing under the pressure of industrial agriculture, including vast oil palm and durian plantations. Logging for timber and urban expansion have left their populations fragmented, forcing them into smaller, less suitable habitats.
• Agricultural Encroachment and Pesticide Use: The spread of monoculture crops such as rubber and fruit plantations leads to pesticide contamination, which devastates insect populations and, in turn, threatens insectivorous species like the Malayan Forest Gecko.
• Illegal Wildlife and Pet Trade: Although not as widely targeted as other reptiles, some Cyrtodactylus species are captured for the exotic pet trade, which can decimate local populations. It is important to not participate in collecting these animals as pets in the wild so that their species survives.
• Climate Change: Increasing temperatures and altered rainfall patterns disrupt their microhabitats, making it harder for them to find shelter and food.

Diet

The Malayan Forest Gecko is a voracious insectivore, feeding on moths, crickets, beetles, spiders, and other small invertebrates. These lizards rely on ambush tactics, using their sharp vision to track movement before striking with lightning speed. Their diet plays an essential role in maintaining insect populations in their ecosystems.

Reproduction and Mating

Little is known about their exact breeding patterns, but like most Cyrtodactylus species, they are oviparous, laying small clutches of eggs in hidden crevices, under leaf litter, or within tree hollows. The humid rainforest climate helps incubate their eggs, which hatch after several weeks into fully formed miniature replicas of the adults.

Geographic Range

Endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, including Penang Island, this gecko has an extremely limited and fragmented range. They are mostly found in primary rainforests and undisturbed hill slopes, avoiding urban and agricultural areas.

FAQs

Why is the Malayan Forest Gecko endangered?

Their primary threat is habitat loss due to deforestation for agriculture, particularly palm oil, timber and durian plantations. Fragmentation of their habitat isolates populations, making survival increasingly difficult. Climate change and the illegal pet trade are also contributing to their decline.

Do Malayan Forest Geckos make good pets?

Absolutely not. Keeping wild-caught geckos as pets is harmful and unethical for the long term survival of this species. Many reptiles in the pet trade are illegally captured, leading to population declines and immense suffering. If you truly care about these geckos, actively campaign against their capture and protect their rainforest homes instead.

How can I help protect them?

• Boycott products containing palm oil, which drives deforestation.

• Support organisations working to protect Malaysia’s forests.

• Avoid keeping exotic pets and educate others about the dangers of wildlife trafficking.

• Demand stronger environmental protections from governments and corporations.

Take Action!

Use your purchasing power to protect rainforest species like the Malayan Forest Gecko. Every time you shop, choose ethical products and say no to deforestation—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Further Information

Grismer, L. L., Wood, P. L., Jr., Le, M. D., Quah, E. S. H., & Grismer, J. L. (2020). Evolution of habitat preference in 243 species of Bent-toed geckos (Genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827) with a discussion of karst habitat conservation. Ecology and Evolution, 10(24), 13717–13730. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6961

Grismer, L. L., Wood, P. L. Jr., Quah, E., & Anuar, S. (2012). A phylogeny and taxonomy of the Thai-Malay Peninsula bent-toed geckos of the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae): Combined morphological and molecular analyses with descriptions of seven new species. Zootaxa, 3520(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3520.1.1

Kathriner, A., Bauer, A. M., O’Shea, M., & Sanchez, C. (2014). Hiding in plain sight: A new species of bent-toed gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from West Timor, collected by Malcolm Smith in 1924. Zootaxa, 3900(4), 555–568. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3900.4.6

Quah, E. & Grismer, L. 2018. Cyrtodactylus pulchellus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T101949746A101949754. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T101949746A101949754.en. Downloaded on 05 February 2021.

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Malayan forest gecko. Wikipedia, retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_forest_gecko

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

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