Hukai Zhimo was not sure what a Tokay gecko looked like. He had never seen one before. He did not even know if the lizard bites.

But being the pedantic investigator that he is at the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) in Dimapur, he jumped swiftly into motion after being tipped off in the chilly middles of November 2017. There was an ad for its sale on Facebook.

Hukai Zhimo was not sure what a Tokay gecko looked like. He had never seen one before. He did not even know if the lizard bites.

But being the pedantic investigator that he is at the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) in Dimapur, he jumped swiftly into motion after being tipped off in the chilly middles of November 2017. There was an ad for its sale on Facebook.

Hukai Zhimo was not sure what a Tokay gecko looked like. He had never seen one before. He did not even know if the lizard bites.

But being the pedantic investigator that he is at the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) in Dimapur, he jumped swiftly into motion after being tipped off in the chilly middles of November 2017. There was an ad for its sale on Facebook.

Hukai Zhimo was not sure what a Tokay gecko looked like. He had never seen one before. He did not even know if the lizard bites.

But being the pedantic investigator that he is at the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) in Dimapur, he jumped swiftly into motion after being tipped off in the chilly middles of November 2017. There was an ad for its sale on Facebook.

Hukai Zhimo was not sure what a Tokay gecko looked like. He had never seen one before. He did not even know if the lizard bites.

But being the pedantic investigator that he is at the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) in Dimapur, he jumped swiftly into motion after being tipped off in the chilly middles of November 2017. There was an ad for its sale on Facebook.

“Tokay Gecko, Free. Dimapur,” the post read. “Interested buyers please contact Dimapur number … for further queries…price negotiable.”

“Tokay Gecko, Free. Dimapur,” the post read. “Interested buyers please contact Dimapur number … for further queries…price negotiable.”

“Tokay Gecko, Free. Dimapur,” the post read. “Interested buyers please contact Dimapur number … for further queries…price negotiable.”

“Tokay Gecko, Free. Dimapur,” the post read. “Interested buyers please contact Dimapur number … for further queries…price negotiable.”

“Tokay Gecko, Free. Dimapur,” the post read. “Interested buyers please contact Dimapur number … for further queries…price negotiable.”

Now, the Tokay gecko is pretty.

Now, the Tokay
gecko is pretty.

Now, the Tokay gecko is pretty.

Now, the Tokay gecko is pretty.

Now, the Tokay gecko is pretty.

Few would describe lizards with such vocable, but with its hypnotic gold eyes and vertically-slit pupils; a deceptive, puerile grin; and reptilian skin gleaming with clementine and white spots that change colour as camouflage, the gecko is one that deserves a flattering picture up on Facebook.

But instead, it featured in a shoddy image on the social site, clicked by a hurried photographer, pressed and suppressed on a wooden table with stubby human hands, and a ruler thrust right next to it.

Few would describe lizards with such vocable, but with its hypnotic gold eyes and vertically-slit pupils; a deceptive, puerile grin; and reptilian skin gleaming with clementine and white spots that change colour as camouflage, the gecko is one that deserves a flattering picture up on Facebook.

But instead, it featured in a shoddy image on the social site, clicked by a hurried photographer, pressed and suppressed on a wooden table with stubby human hands, and a ruler thrust right next to it.

Few would describe lizards with such vocable, but with its hypnotic gold eyes and vertically-slit pupils; a deceptive, puerile grin; and reptilian skin gleaming with clementine and white spots that change colour as camouflage, the gecko is one that deserves a flattering picture up on Facebook.

But instead, it featured in a shoddy image on the social site, clicked by a hurried photographer, pressed and suppressed on a wooden table with stubby human hands, and a ruler thrust right next to it.

Few would describe lizards with such vocable, but with its hypnotic gold eyes and vertically-slit pupils; a deceptive, puerile grin; and reptilian skin gleaming with clementine and white spots that change colour as camouflage, the gecko is one that deserves a flattering picture up on Facebook.

But instead, it featured in a shoddy image on the social site, clicked by a hurried photographer, pressed and suppressed on a wooden table with stubby human hands, and a ruler thrust right next to it.

Few would describe lizards with such vocable, but with its hypnotic gold eyes and vertically-slit pupils; a deceptive, puerile grin; and reptilian skin gleaming with clementine and white spots that change colour as camouflage, the gecko is one that deserves a flattering picture up on Facebook

But instead, it featured in a shoddy image on the social site, clicked by a hurried photographer, pressed and suppressed on a wooden table with stubby human hands, and a ruler thrust right next to it.

Zhimo and his team traced down a certain ‘Steve Ozk’ who had posted the ad on a group called ‘NOOBS’, an acronym for 'Nagaland Open Online Barter Or Sell'. The officials contacted him through the number mentioned online, to apprise him of the offence he had committed: the attempt to sell a species protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was directed to report to the WCCU office by November 14 to present his case. He, however, not only failed to turn up but also severed all communications with the investigators.

Bereft of access to monitoring and tracking technologies, Zhimo then sought the help of the local police enforcement to map the phone number, in an attempt to make some headway into the matter.

When I visited Zhimo in February this year, the investigation was still ongoing, and it was election season in Nagaland.

The streets outside his dusty workroom in Dimapur were desolate, punctuated only by the presence of heavily uniformed men. Insurgency and propaganda make conflict likely in the state, so many forces had taken to patrolling the roads - in the markets, around bus stops, bakeries and cafeterias - from the Assam Rifles, to the Nagaland Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Zhimo and his team traced down a certain ‘Steve Ozk’ who had posted the ad on a group called ‘NOOBS’, an acronym for 'Nagaland Open Online Barter Or Sell'. The officials contacted him through the number mentioned online, to apprise him of the offence he had committed: the attempt to sell a species protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was directed to report to the WCCU office by November 14 to present his case. He, however, not only failed to turn up but also severed all communications with the investigators.

Bereft of access to monitoring and tracking technologies, Zhimo then sought the help of the local police enforcement to map the phone number, in an attempt to make some headway into the matter.

When I visited Zhimo in February this year, the investigation was still ongoing, and it was election season in Nagaland.

The streets outside his dusty workroom in Dimapur were desolate, punctuated only by the presence of heavily uniformed men. Insurgency and propaganda make conflict likely in the state, so many forces had taken to patrolling the roads - in the markets, around bus stops, bakeries and cafeterias - from the Assam Rifles, to the Nagaland Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Zhimo and his team traced down a certain ‘Steve Ozk’ who had posted the ad on a group called ‘NOOBS’, an acronym for 'Nagaland Open Online Barter Or Sell'. The officials contacted him through the number mentioned online, to apprise him of the offence he had committed: the attempt to sell a species protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was directed to report to the WCCU office by November 14 to present his case. He, however, not only failed to turn up but also severed all communications with the investigators.

Bereft of access to monitoring and tracking technologies, Zhimo then sought the help of the local police enforcement to map the phone number, in an attempt to make some headway into the matter.

When I visited Zhimo in February this year, the investigation was still ongoing, and it was election season in Nagaland.

The streets outside his dusty workroom in Dimapur were desolate, punctuated only by the presence of heavily uniformed men. Insurgency and propaganda make conflict likely in the state, so many forces had taken to patrolling the roads - in the markets, around bus stops, bakeries and cafeterias - from the Assam Rifles, to the Nagaland Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Zhimo and his team traced down a certain ‘Steve Ozk’ who had posted the ad on a group called ‘NOOBS’, an acronym for 'Nagaland Open Online Barter Or Sell'. The officials contacted him through the number mentioned online, to apprise him of the offence he had committed: the attempt to sell a species protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was directed to report to the WCCU office by November 14 to present his case. He, however, not only failed to turn up but also severed all communications with the investigators.

Bereft of access to monitoring and tracking technologies, Zhimo then sought the help of the local police enforcement to map the phone number, in an attempt to make some headway into the matter.

When I visited Zhimo in February this year, the investigation was still ongoing, and it was election season in Nagaland.

The streets outside his dusty workroom in Dimapur were desolate, punctuated only by the presence of heavily uniformed men. Insurgency and propaganda make conflict likely in the state, so many forces had taken to patrolling the roads - in the markets, around bus stops, bakeries and cafeterias - from the Assam Rifles, to the Nagaland Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Zhimo and his team traced down a certain ‘Steve Ozk’ who had posted the ad on a group called ‘NOOBS’, an acronym for 'Nagaland Open Online Barter Or Sell'. The officials contacted him through the number mentioned online, to apprise him of the offence he had committed: the attempt to sell a species protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was directed to report to the WCCU office by November 14 to present his case. He, however, not only failed to turn up but also severed all communications with the investigators.

Bereft of access to monitoring and tracking technologies, Zhimo then sought the help of the local police enforcement to map the phone number, in an attempt to make some headway into the matter.

When I visited Zhimo in February this year, the investigation was still ongoing, and it was election season in Nagaland.

The streets outside his dusty workroom in Dimapur were desolate, punctuated only by the presence of heavily uniformed men. Insurgency and propaganda make conflict likely in the state, so many forces had taken to patrolling the roads - in the markets, around bus stops, bakeries and cafeterias - from the Assam Rifles, to the Nagaland Police Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Zhimo, who is 33  years old but does not look a minute beyond 25 on a good day, was split up between the gecko files, market raids, and a graver investigation involving tiger bones recovered on highway NH-29.

Zhimo, who is 33  years old but does not look a minute beyond 25 on a good day, was split up between the gecko files, market raids, and a graver investigation involving tiger bones recovered on highway NH-29.

Zhimo, who is 33  years old but does not look a minute beyond 25 on a good day, was split up between the gecko files, market raids, and a graver investigation involving tiger bones recovered on highway NH-29.

Zhimo, who is 33  years old but does not look a minute beyond 25 on a good day, was split up between the gecko files, market raids, and a graver investigation involving tiger bones recovered on highway NH-29.

Zhimo, who is 33  years old but does not look a minute beyond 25 on a good day, was split up between the gecko files, market raids, and a graver investigation involving tiger bones recovered on highway NH-29.

The murdered cat, being India’s national animal and a Schedule I protected species, demanded more attention and urgency;  I could tell by Zhimo’s quickened voice as he spoke on the phone of an autopsy, fidgeting with his black-rimmed glasses. A small sliver of sun reformed dust into a speckled halo around him, adding weight to his petite demeanour.  The Tokay gecko, the lizard of a lesser god, could wait.

The murdered cat, being India’s national animal and a Schedule I protected species, demanded more attention and urgency;  I could tell by Zhimo’s quickened voice as he spoke on the phone of an autopsy, fidgeting with his black-rimmed glasses. A small sliver of sun reformed dust into a speckled halo around him, adding weight to his petite demeanour.  The Tokay gecko, the lizard of a lesser god, could wait.

The murdered cat, being India’s national animal and a Schedule I protected species, demanded more attention and urgency;  I could tell by Zhimo’s quickened voice as he spoke on the phone of an autopsy, fidgeting with his black-rimmed glasses. A small sliver of sun reformed dust into a speckled halo around him, adding weight to his petite demeanour.  The Tokay gecko, the lizard of a lesser god, could wait.

The murdered cat, being India’s national animal and a Schedule I protected species, demanded more attention and urgency;  I could tell by Zhimo’s quickened voice as he spoke on the phone of an autopsy, fidgeting with his black-rimmed glasses. A small sliver of sun reformed dust into a speckled halo around him, adding weight to his petite demeanour.  The Tokay gecko, the lizard of a lesser god, could wait.

The murdered cat, being India’s national animal and a Schedule I protected species, demanded more attention and urgency;  I could tell by Zhimo’s quickened voice as he spoke on the phone of an autopsy, fidgeting with his black-rimmed glasses. A small sliver of sun reformed dust into a speckled halo around him, adding weight to his petite demeanour.  The Tokay gecko, the lizard of a lesser god, could wait.

The Tokay gecko, even though not the poster child in the poached cavalcade of tigers, rhinos and elephants, is one of the largest living species of gecko in the world. Native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, an individual can grow up to 16 inches in length

It is nocturnal arboreal, living in the cavities of majestic trees, rocks and hilltops, or even within human settlements, just like its basic lizard cousin - on rooftops, terraces, crevices of musty kitchenettes, walls of classrooms, bedrooms and offices.

Found predominantly in Bihar, West Bengal, and northeastern states in India, people are made aware of its presence by its shrill call, a loud croak, sounding like tokeh gekk-gekk, from which the lizard derives its name.

If lucky, the gecko roams free in human houses. Otherwise, it is cornered, deceived and captured by its cohabitants, sometimes to keep as a pet and other times for sale in the market. The cross-border demand is for its meat, exotic animal trade and traditional medicines that mystically cure diseases such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, infertility and diabetes.

A lucrative Tokay gecko has to be coaxed into perfect shape, measuring upto 12 inches in length and weighing close to 300 grams. If ideal, one gecko can fetch anywhere upto 70 lakh rupees (USD 100,000).

The Tokay gecko, even though not the poster child in the poached cavalcade of tigers, rhinos and elephants, is one of the largest living species of gecko in the world. Native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, an individual can grow up to 16 inches in length

It is nocturnal arboreal, living in the cavities of majestic trees, rocks and hilltops, or even within human settlements, just like its basic lizard cousin - on rooftops, terraces, crevices of musty kitchenettes, walls of classrooms, bedrooms and offices.

Found predominantly in Bihar, West Bengal, and northeastern states in India, people are made aware of its presence by its shrill call, a loud croak, sounding like tokeh gekk-gekk, from which the lizard derives its name.

If lucky, the gecko roams free in human houses. Otherwise, it is cornered, deceived and captured by its cohabitants, sometimes to keep as a pet and other times for sale in the market. The cross-border demand is for its meat, exotic animal trade and traditional medicines that mystically cure diseases such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, infertility and diabetes.

A lucrative Tokay gecko has to be coaxed into perfect shape, measuring upto 12 inches in length and weighing close to 300 grams. If ideal, one gecko can fetch anywhere upto 70 lakh rupees (USD 100,000).

The Tokay gecko, even though not the poster child in the poached cavalcade of tigers, rhinos and elephants, is one of the largest living species of gecko in the world. Native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, an individual can grow up to 16 inches in length

It is nocturnal arboreal, living in the cavities of majestic trees, rocks and hilltops, or even within human settlements, just like its basic lizard cousin - on rooftops, terraces, crevices of musty kitchenettes, walls of classrooms, bedrooms and offices.

Found predominantly in Bihar, West Bengal, and northeastern states in India, people are made aware of its presence by its shrill call, a loud croak, sounding like tokeh gekk-gekk, from which the lizard derives its name.

If lucky, the gecko roams free in human houses. Otherwise, it is cornered, deceived and captured by its cohabitants, sometimes to keep as a pet and other times for sale in the market. The cross-border demand is for its meat, exotic animal trade and traditional medicines that mystically cure diseases such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, infertility and diabetes.

A lucrative Tokay gecko has to be coaxed into perfect shape, measuring upto 12 inches in length and weighing close to 300 grams. If ideal, one gecko can fetch anywhere upto 70 lakh rupees (USD 100,000).

The Tokay gecko, even though not the poster child in the poached cavalcade of tigers, rhinos and elephants, is one of the largest living species of gecko in the world. Native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, an individual can grow up to 16 inches in length

It is nocturnal arboreal, living in the cavities of majestic trees, rocks and hilltops, or even within human settlements, just like its basic lizard cousin - on rooftops, terraces, crevices of musty kitchenettes, walls of classrooms, bedrooms and offices.

Found predominantly in Bihar, West Bengal, and northeastern states in India, people are made aware of its presence by its shrill call, a loud croak, sounding like tokeh gekk-gekk, from which the lizard derives its name.

If lucky, the gecko roams free in human houses. Otherwise, it is cornered, deceived and captured by its cohabitants, sometimes to keep as a pet and other times for sale in the market. The cross-border demand is for its meat, exotic animal trade and traditional medicines that mystically cure diseases such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, infertility and diabetes.

A lucrative Tokay gecko has to be coaxed into perfect shape, measuring upto 12 inches in length and weighing close to 300 grams. If ideal, one gecko can fetch anywhere upto 70 lakh rupees (USD 100,000).

The Tokay gecko, even though not the poster child in the poached cavalcade of tigers, rhinos and elephants, is one of the largest living species of gecko in the world. Native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, an individual can grow up to 16 inches in length

It is nocturnal arboreal, living in the cavities of majestic trees, rocks and hilltops, or even within human settlements, just like its basic lizard cousin - on rooftops, terraces, crevices of musty kitchenettes, walls of classrooms, bedrooms and offices.

Found predominantly in Bihar, West Bengal, and northeastern states in India, people are made aware of its presence by its shrill call, a loud croak, sounding like tokeh gekk-gekk, from which the lizard derives its name.

If lucky, the gecko roams free in human houses. Otherwise, it is cornered, deceived and captured by its cohabitants, sometimes to keep as a pet and other times for sale in the market. The cross-border demand is for its meat, exotic animal trade and traditional medicines that mystically cure diseases such as cancer, HIV, AIDS, infertility and diabetes.

A lucrative Tokay gecko has to be coaxed into perfect shape, measuring upto 12 inches in length and weighing close to 300 grams. If ideal, one gecko can fetch anywhere upto 70 lakh rupees (USD 100,000).

If the lizard falls short, it is back to body bootcamp, where it is reared
at home and fattened.

If the lizard falls short, it is back to body bootcamp, where it is reared
at home and fattened.

If the lizard falls short, it is back to body bootcamp, where it is reared at home and fattened.

If the lizard falls short, it is back to body bootcamp, where it is reared
at home and fattened.

If the lizard falls short, it is back to body bootcamp, where it is reared
at home and fattened.

But in the wild, Intangki National Park is the Tokay gecko’s safe haven in Nagaland. Unlike other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India that are relatively manicured for tourist visit, Intangki is unchartered territory. Not open to the public, indolently stretching over 202 square kilometers, Intangki is a green breast of raw earth, strewn with fallen trunks and timber, gargantuan roots snaking around the jungle floor, with prickly shrubs and poisonous leaves jutting out at every bend and corner. There are towering trees with cracks and crannies, there are ditches, trails of elephant dung, and grasslands. Beyond a certain point close to the peripheries, no one dares to explore the heart of the wild, afraid of the scars and secrets Intangki may reveal; but for the brave, young legion guarding the forest.

But in the wild, Intangki National Park is the Tokay gecko’s safe haven in Nagaland. Unlike other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India that are relatively manicured for tourist visit, Intangki is unchartered territory. Not open to the public, indolently stretching over 202 square kilometers, Intangki is a green breast of raw earth, strewn with fallen trunks and timber, gargantuan roots snaking around the jungle floor, with prickly shrubs and poisonous leaves jutting out at every bend and corner. There are towering trees with cracks and crannies, there are ditches, trails of elephant dung, and grasslands. Beyond a certain point close to the peripheries, no one dares to explore the heart of the wild, afraid of the scars and secrets Intangki may reveal; but for the brave, young legion guarding the forest.

But in the wild, Intangki National Park is the Tokay gecko’s safe haven in Nagaland. Unlike other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India that are relatively manicured for tourist visit, Intangki is unchartered territory. Not open to the public, indolently stretching over 202 square kilometers, Intangki is a green breast of raw earth, strewn with fallen trunks and timber, gargantuan roots snaking around the jungle floor, with prickly shrubs and poisonous leaves jutting out at every bend and corner. There are towering trees with cracks and crannies, there are ditches, trails of elephant dung, and grasslands. Beyond a certain point close to the peripheries, no one dares to explore the heart of the wild, afraid of the scars and secrets Intangki may reveal; but for the brave, young legion guarding the forest.

But in the wild, Intangki National Park is the Tokay gecko’s safe haven in Nagaland. Unlike other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India that are relatively manicured for tourist visit, Intangki is unchartered territory. Not open to the public, indolently stretching over 202 square kilometers, Intangki is a green breast of raw earth, strewn with fallen trunks and timber, gargantuan roots snaking around the jungle floor, with prickly shrubs and poisonous leaves jutting out at every bend and corner. There are towering trees with cracks and crannies, there are ditches, trails of elephant dung, and grasslands. Beyond a certain point close to the peripheries, no one dares to explore the heart of the wild, afraid of the scars and secrets Intangki may reveal; but for the brave, young legion guarding the forest.

But in the wild, Intangki National Park is the Tokay gecko’s safe haven in Nagaland. Unlike other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India that are relatively manicured for tourist visit, Intangki is unchartered territory. Not open to the public, indolently stretching over 202 square kilometers, Intangki is a green breast of raw earth, strewn with fallen trunks and timber, gargantuan roots snaking around the jungle floor, with prickly shrubs and poisonous leaves jutting out at every bend and corner. There are towering trees with cracks and crannies, there are ditches, trails of elephant dung, and grasslands. Beyond a certain point close to the peripheries, no one dares to explore the heart of the wild, afraid of the scars and secrets Intangki may reveal; but for the brave, young legion guarding the forest.

Part of the poaching nucleus were groups trapping Tokay geckos, coaxing them out of their holes by injecting putrid petrol in the cracks of the stumps.

Part of the poaching nucleus were groups trapping Tokay geckos, coaxing them out of their holes by injecting putrid petrol in the cracks of the stumps.

Part of the poaching nucleus were groups trapping Tokay geckos, coaxing them out of their holes by injecting putrid petrol in the cracks of the stumps.

Part of the poaching nucleus were groups trapping Tokay geckos, coaxing them out of their holes by injecting putrid petrol in the cracks of the stumps.

Part of the poaching nucleus were groups trapping Tokay geckos, coaxing them out of their holes by injecting putrid petrol in the cracks of the stumps.

Respite came when a dedicated and armed forest patrolling force for Intangki came into being in 2009, according to Kenlumtatei. The ranger’s aerobicized, agile and aquiline patrolling team plays an eager role in guarding the jungle’s bounty, but the key to more sustainable forests lies with the Nagas, suggested Kenlumtatei.

Unlike other parts of the country, only 11.7 percent of forests in Nagaland is under the control of the state. The rest is under the land holding rights of individuals or communities.

The state enjoys a special provision of Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which empowers communities to enact their own laws over ownership of land and its resources. Hence, the onus of conservation and protection of wildlife rests heavy on the shoulders of the hoi polloi.

“Our ancestors were hunters, gatherers and they owned the land,” said Kenlumtatei. “We cannot do away with history. They caught their own food, they cleared the forest for farming, they collected logs for fire. For them, the jungle does not belong to the government.”

Even though Intangki comes under land controlled by the state government, parts of fringe villages such as Beisumpuikam are still undergoing a ‘land exchange’ process with the forest department.

Back in his grimy office in Dimapur, wildlife crime investigator Zhimo is quick to flag issues related to the law.

Respite came when a dedicated and armed forest patrolling force for Intangki came into being in 2009, according to Kenlumtatei. The ranger’s aerobicized, agile and aquiline patrolling team plays an eager role in guarding the jungle’s bounty, but the key to more sustainable forests lies with the Nagas, suggested Kenlumtatei.

Unlike other parts of the country, only 11.7 percent of forests in Nagaland is under the control of the state. The rest is under the land holding rights of individuals or communities.

The state enjoys a special provision of Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which empowers communities to enact their own laws over ownership of land and its resources. Hence, the onus of conservation and protection of wildlife rests heavy on the shoulders of the hoi polloi.

“Our ancestors were hunters, gatherers and they owned the land,” said Kenlumtatei. “We cannot do away with history. They caught their own food, they cleared the forest for farming, they collected logs for fire. For them, the jungle does not belong to the government.”

Even though Intangki comes under land controlled by the state government, parts of fringe villages such as Beisumpuikam are still undergoing a ‘land exchange’ process with the forest department.

Back in his grimy office in Dimapur, wildlife crime investigator Zhimo is quick to flag issues related to the law.

Respite came when a dedicated and armed forest patrolling force for Intangki came into being in 2009, according to Kenlumtatei. The ranger’s aerobicized, agile and aquiline patrolling team plays an eager role in guarding the jungle’s bounty, but the key to more sustainable forests lies with the Nagas, suggested Kenlumtatei.

Unlike other parts of the country, only 11.7 percent of forests in Nagaland is under the control of the state. The rest is under the land holding rights of individuals or communities.

The state enjoys a special provision of Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which empowers communities to enact their own laws over ownership of land and its resources. Hence, the onus of conservation and protection of wildlife rests heavy on the shoulders of the hoi polloi.

“Our ancestors were hunters, gatherers and they owned the land,” said Kenlumtatei. “We cannot do away with history. They caught their own food, they cleared the forest for farming, they collected logs for fire. For them, the jungle does not belong to the government.”

Even though Intangki comes under land controlled by the state government, parts of fringe villages such as Beisumpuikam are still undergoing a ‘land exchange’ process with the forest department.

Back in his grimy office in Dimapur, wildlife crime investigator Zhimo is quick to flag issues related to the law.

Respite came when a dedicated and armed forest patrolling force for Intangki came into being in 2009, according to Kenlumtatei. The ranger’s aerobicized, agile and aquiline patrolling team plays an eager role in guarding the jungle’s bounty, but the key to more sustainable forests lies with the Nagas, suggested Kenlumtatei.

Unlike other parts of the country, only 11.7 percent of forests in Nagaland is under the control of the state. The rest is under the land holding rights of individuals or communities.

The state enjoys a special provision of Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which empowers communities to enact their own laws over ownership of land and its resources. Hence, the onus of conservation and protection of wildlife rests heavy on the shoulders of the hoi polloi.

“Our ancestors were hunters, gatherers and they owned the land,” said Kenlumtatei. “We cannot do away with history. They caught their own food, they cleared the forest for farming, they collected logs for fire. For them, the jungle does not belong to the government.”

Even though Intangki comes under land controlled by the state government, parts of fringe villages such as Beisumpuikam are still undergoing a ‘land exchange’ process with the forest department.

Back in his grimy office in Dimapur, wildlife crime investigator Zhimo is quick to flag issues related to the law.

Respite came when a dedicated and armed forest patrolling force for Intangki came into being in 2009, according to Kenlumtatei. The ranger’s aerobicized, agile and aquiline patrolling team plays an eager role in guarding the jungle’s bounty, but the key to more sustainable forests lies with the Nagas, suggested Kenlumtatei.

Unlike other parts of the country, only 11.7 percent of forests in Nagaland is under the control of the state. The rest is under the land holding rights of individuals or communities.

The state enjoys a special provision of Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which empowers communities to enact their own laws over ownership of land and its resources. Hence, the onus of conservation and protection of wildlife rests heavy on the shoulders of the hoi polloi.

“Our ancestors were hunters, gatherers and they owned the land,” said Kenlumtatei. “We cannot do away with history. They caught their own food, they cleared the forest for farming, they collected logs for fire. For them, the jungle does not belong to the government.”

Even though Intangki comes under land controlled by the state government, parts of fringe villages such as Beisumpuikam are still undergoing a ‘land exchange’ process with the forest department.

Back in his grimy office in Dimapur, wildlife crime investigator Zhimo is quick to flag issues related to the law.

On April 27 this year, two school teachers at Himchi Free Primary School in Sonarpur, West Bengal, were arrested for allegedly trying to sell four Tokay geckos.

On April 27 this year, two school teachers at Himchi Free Primary School in Sonarpur, West Bengal, were arrested for allegedly trying to sell four Tokay geckos.

On April 27 this year, two school teachers at Himchi Free Primary School in Sonarpur, West Bengal, were arrested for allegedly trying to sell four Tokay geckos.

On April 27 this year, two school teachers at Himchi Free Primary School in Sonarpur, West Bengal, were arrested for allegedly trying to sell four Tokay geckos.

On April 27 this year, two school teachers at Himchi Free Primary School in Sonarpur, West Bengal, were arrested for allegedly trying to sell four Tokay geckos.

39-year old Subrata Halder and his colleague Dipankar Mondal, 34, had arranged a deal for six lakh rupees (USD $8900) for the reptiles. Little did they know that the buyers negotiating a sale at Mondal’s house were forest department officials.

On March 10, the SSB force intercepted two individuals near the Indian border- Tarachand and Robin - as they were carrying two live Tokay geckos in a gunny bag, to be smuggled into China via Nepal.

39-year old Subrata Halder and his colleague Dipankar Mondal, 34, had arranged a deal for six lakh rupees (USD $8900) for the reptiles. Little did they know that the buyers negotiating a sale at Mondal’s house were forest department officials.

On March 10, the SSB force intercepted two individuals near the Indian border- Tarachand and Robin - as they were carrying two live Tokay geckos in a gunny bag, to be smuggled into China via Nepal.

39-year old Subrata Halder and his colleague Dipankar Mondal, 34, had arranged a deal for six lakh rupees (USD $8900) for the reptiles. Little did they know that the buyers negotiating a sale at Mondal’s house were forest department officials.

On March 10, the SSB force intercepted two individuals near the Indian border- Tarachand and Robin - as they were carrying two live Tokay geckos in a gunny bag, to be smuggled into China via Nepal.

39-year old Subrata Halder and his colleague Dipankar Mondal, 34, had arranged a deal for six lakh rupees (USD $8900) for the reptiles. Little did they know that the buyers negotiating a sale at Mondal’s house were forest department officials.

On March 10, the SSB force intercepted two individuals near the Indian border- Tarachand and Robin - as they were carrying two live Tokay geckos in a gunny bag, to be smuggled into China via Nepal.

39-year old Subrata Halder and his colleague Dipankar Mondal, 34, had arranged a deal for six lakh rupees (USD $8900) for the reptiles. Little did they know that the buyers negotiating a sale at Mondal’s house were forest department officials.

On March 10, the SSB force intercepted two individuals near the Indian border- Tarachand and Robin - as they were carrying two live Tokay geckos in a gunny bag, to be smuggled into China via Nepal.

If recent seizures are any indication, then the cross-border trade of the gecko has grown deeper roots, taking the shape of organized conglomerates operating between northeast India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Clandestine breeding centres and rearing farms are now cropping up in high-altitude remote hillocks of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The smugglers even have a new, convenient marketplace that reaches out to a wide, brazen audience: Facebook.

They are further enabled by the fact that the lizard, though included in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, is not yet part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Thus, it does not enjoy very strong legal protection across nations' boundaries.

The species is also not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), encouraging unabated and unregulated legal and illegal trafficking of the gecko worldwide.

“At a global level, on an average, there may not be a scarcity of the Tokay gecko and hence, it is not red-listed,” said Satyaprakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland. “But in our country, this species is not found abundantly. We must protect it.”

If recent seizures are any indication, then the cross-border trade of the gecko has grown deeper roots, taking the shape of organized conglomerates operating between northeast India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Clandestine breeding centres and rearing farms are now cropping up in high-altitude remote hillocks of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The smugglers even have a new, convenient marketplace that reaches out to a wide, brazen audience: Facebook.

They are further enabled by the fact that the lizard, though included in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, is not yet part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Thus, it does not enjoy very strong legal protection across nations' boundaries.

The species is also not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), encouraging unabated and unregulated legal and illegal trafficking of the gecko worldwide.

“At a global level, on an average, there may not be a scarcity of the Tokay gecko and hence, it is not red-listed,” said Satyaprakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland. “But in our country, this species is not found abundantly. We must protect it.”

If recent seizures are any indication, then the cross-border trade of the gecko has grown deeper roots, taking the shape of organized conglomerates operating between northeast India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Clandestine breeding centres and rearing farms are now cropping up in high-altitude remote hillocks of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The smugglers even have a new, convenient marketplace that reaches out to a wide, brazen audience: Facebook.

They are further enabled by the fact that the lizard, though included in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, is not yet part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Thus, it does not enjoy very strong legal protection across nations' boundaries.

The species is also not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), encouraging unabated and unregulated legal and illegal trafficking of the gecko worldwide.

“At a global level, on an average, there may not be a scarcity of the Tokay gecko and hence, it is not red-listed,” said Satyaprakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland. “But in our country, this species is not found abundantly. We must protect it.”

If recent seizures are any indication, then the cross-border trade of the gecko has grown deeper roots, taking the shape of organized conglomerates operating between northeast India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Clandestine breeding centres and rearing farms are now cropping up in high-altitude remote hillocks of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The smugglers even have a new, convenient marketplace that reaches out to a wide, brazen audience: Facebook.

They are further enabled by the fact that the lizard, though included in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, is not yet part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Thus, it does not enjoy very strong legal protection across nations' boundaries.

The species is also not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), encouraging unabated and unregulated legal and illegal trafficking of the gecko worldwide.

“At a global level, on an average, there may not be a scarcity of the Tokay gecko and hence, it is not red-listed,” said Satyaprakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland. “But in our country, this species is not found abundantly. We must protect it.”

If recent seizures are any indication, then the cross-border trade of the gecko has grown deeper roots, taking the shape of organized conglomerates operating between northeast India, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Clandestine breeding centres and rearing farms are now cropping up in high-altitude remote hillocks of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The smugglers even have a new, convenient marketplace that reaches out to a wide, brazen audience: Facebook.

They are further enabled by the fact that the lizard, though included in Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, is not yet part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Thus, it does not enjoy very strong legal protection across nations' boundaries.

The species is also not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), encouraging unabated and unregulated legal and illegal trafficking of the gecko worldwide.

“At a global level, on an average, there may not be a scarcity of the Tokay gecko and hence, it is not red-listed,” said Satyaprakash Tripathi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Nagaland. “But in our country, this species is not found abundantly. We must protect it.”

–
Keep up with the unspoken tales of
India's forest rangers.

From the sand to the sea,
the hills and the green.

–
Keep up with the unspoken tales of
India's forest rangers.

From the sand to the sea,
the hills and the green.

–
Keep up with the unspoken tales of
India's forest rangers.

From the sand to the sea,
the hills and the green.

–
Keep up with the unspoken tales of
India's forest rangers.

From the sand to the sea,
the hills and the green.

–
Keep up with the unspoken tales of
India's forest rangers.

From the sand to the sea,
the hills and the green.