An exciting four-day workshop and field expedition recently took place at the stunning Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, culminating in the impressive documentation of 16 distinct lizard species. The comprehensive survey spanned diverse habitats, from the Valyanchal base camp all the way to the lofty Sooryamudi peak, even extending into the adjacent Kottiyoor Wildlife Sanctuary.
Organized by the Malabar Awareness and Rescue Center for Wildlife (MARC), this initiative aimed to equip Forest Department staff with essential skills for identifying the region’s lesser-known fauna. Renowned herpetologist S.R. Ganesh spearheaded the program, blending insightful classroom instruction with extensive, hands-on fieldwork in the lush wilderness.
A significant highlight of the expedition was the successful sighting of the critically endangered Kottiyoor Day Gecko (Cnemaspis kotiyoorensis). This particular species, only formally identified in 2014, was observed at the Sooryamudi camp, confirming its very limited and precious distribution within the sanctuary.
Beyond this rare find, the survey teams meticulously recorded lizard species belonging to four different families. In addition to the well-known Indian Monitor, six species from the Agamidae family were documented, including the fascinating Indian flying lizard, the common oriental garden lizard, the vibrant green forest lizard, the imperiled Nilgiri forest lizard, Eliiot’s forest lizard, and Roux’s forest lizard.
The survey also shed light on the diversity of the Scincidae family, uncovering species such as the keeled Indian mabuya, alongside endangered varieties like the short grass skink, Dawson’s grass skink, and Beddome’s cat skink.
Furthermore, five distinct gecko species were identified, featuring the endangered Wayanad day gecko, the coastal day gecko, the critically important Kottiyoor day gecko, and the more commonly encountered common and spotted house geckos.
The success of this workshop and field survey was a collaborative effort, with MARC members providing crucial assistance to the forest officials. The entire program was carried out under the diligent leadership of V. Ratheeshan, Wildlife Warden of Aralam Sanctuary, Assistant Warden Remya Raghavan, and Roshnath Ramesh, Secretary of MARC.