Rohan Editor 
Assam has recorded its first-ever confirmed sighting of a specific bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus bapme), commonly known as the Garo Hills bent-toed gecko. The rare reptile was recently documented at Urpad Beel, a prominent and ecologically significant wetland located in the state’s Goalpara district. Belonging to the genus Cyrtodactylus—one of the world’s most diverse groups of geckos characterized by slender bodies and distinctively curved toes—this species is endemic to India. The landmark sighting was shared by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who highlighted the finding as another clear indicator of the extraordinary, yet poorly studied, biodiversity supported by the state’s fragile ecosystems.
For wildlife researchers and conservationists, this documentation fills a critical geographic gap in understanding reptile distribution and ecosystem connectivity across Northeast India, which is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. The discovery comes on the heels of other major ecological milestones in the region, including the rediscovery of a rare dragonfly in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh after 110 years. Environmentalists emphasize that the presence of Cyrtodactylus bapme at Urpad Beel—a site already well-known for its rich birdlife—underscores the urgent need for sustained habitat protection and deeper field-based biodiversity surveys, proving that the region’s smaller, quieter creatures still hold many untapped secrets.
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