Tokay gecko at risk from AIDS cure claims

A conservationist group says claims that a nocturnal Asian lizard could treat AIDS has led to a sharp boom in illegal smuggling of the reptile.

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia says demand for the tokay gecko has skyrocketed to an alarming level in recent years amid unfounded claims on blogs and other online sources that the lizard’s tongue and internal organs could potentially cure the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

The group says in a report released Tuesday that the Tokay Gecko  should be protected under CITES, the international convention on endangered species.

The geckos are popular as pets and have long been used as traditional medicine for illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, skin disease and cancer.