Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
Kapit Tuko for Sale? Geckos High Prices, Unverified Cure but Illegal
It's not a rumor but actually true that the lowly philippine gecko, locally called tuko as onomatopoeia from the sound they make, is fetching tens of thousands of pesos offered by illegal wildlife traders and traffickers.
kapit tuko caught on camera by Tutubi inside the duck walk tunnel on Corregidor Island (what is the scientific name of gecko/tuko?)
Why the geckos are fetching high prices for the underground black market of the wild animals, not limited to Aranque Market in Manila or Cartimar in Pasay City, some say it's due to it's use in Chinese medicine as cure for AIDS (particularly the gecko's tongue), while some claim it can even cure cancer.
Some even claim that the real reason for the high demand is that some pharmaceutical companies are doing research on the invisible super glue of the tuko on it's feet that enable them to cling to vertical surfaces without falling off (from where the slang phrase kapit tuko got its meaning)
Note that capturing/trading/buying/selling of wild animals, including geckos are illegal, particularly protected and endangered species. You can be jailed for trading or selling them.
Lastly, to give some sort of political significance, at least Sen. Miguel Zubiri was honorable enough to resign from his post as senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He may be a beneficiary of the election cheating in 2007 but give him the benefit of the doubt that he has a hand in the "Maguindanao massacre" of 2004 and 2007 national elections.
Migz Zubiri is not a kapit tuko, in a world full of despicable, kapit tuko and balimbing politicians. those despicable politicians should be the ones hunted down to extinction!
Hi my name is yogesh kumar. I like this blog website due to the quality of a description about the travel. I say thanks to that person who made this www.today-life-style.blogspot.com
although i took up biology prior to medicine ages ago, i haven't seen an actual or even photos of gecko; first to view it on your post.
the word, onomatopoeia was one of those must-spell-right on our english class' quizzes when i was in first year high school, hahaha, just brought back some memories.
anyway, despite i'd like to be apolitical, i like your last statement, hehehe! tama ka dyan, tutubi!
kapit tuko caught on camera by Tutubi inside the duck walk tunnel on Corregidor Island (what is the scientific name of gecko/tuko?)
Batang Lakwatsero said...
Yogesh Kumar said...
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