Scientists have identified two previously unknown species of bent-toed geckos in the forested ruins of central Nepal’s Siwalik (Chure) range.

The newly described reptiles — Makwanpur Bent-toed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus makwanpurgadhiensis) and Chure Bent-toed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus chure) — were found during a 2024 field expedition in the Makwanpur and Sindhuli districts of Bagmati Province of Nepal.

The findings were published this month in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.

What makes the discovery especially significant is that both species were discovered outside Nepal’s protected area; in the neglected but biodiverse Chure hills — a region often overlooked in national conservation efforts.

The geckos were discovered during nighttime surveys among the crumbling stone walls of historical forts — Makwanpurgadhi and Hariharpurgadhi — once military strongholds guarding ancient trade routes. Today, these sites with patchy vegetations, cracks and holes provide hiding places, making them ideal refuges for geckos.

Researchers meticulously searched “roadside walls, boulders, vegetation, and the stone walls of the ancient forts,” according to the study. On the weathered stones of Makwanpurgadhi, they found a medium-sized gecko with distinctive scales, later named Makwanpur Bent-toed Gecko (Cyrtodactylus makwanpurgadhiensis)- after the largest fort of Nepal.

According to the lead researcher, Santosh Bhattarai, “the newly described gecko exhibits unique morphological features and genetic distinctions that set it apart from its closest relatives and highlights the urgent need to focus research on Nepal’s neglected reptile taxa to fully document the nation’s true biological wealth”.

DNA analysis revealed that the two geckos are genetically distinct — diverging by over 11% from other known Nepali species, and by 16.7% from each other — indicating separate evolutionary histories within the same mountain system.

Bhattarai also added “These findings underscore the biological significance of the Siwalik region, which has remained poorly studied despite being a critical ecological bridge between the Terai lowlands and the Himalaya,”.

The Siwalik hills — forming the outermost belt of the Himalayas — cover nearly 13% of Nepal’s landmass. Despite their ecological richness, they are under mounting pressure from deforestation, wildfires, road-building, and human encroachment. A 2021 study estimated that over half the region’s natural habitats are at risk.

Until now, only five Cyrtodactylus species had been recorded in Nepal. With these additions, the number rises to seven, further emphasizing the country’s untapped reptilian diversity. Globally, the Cyrtodactylus genus is one of the most diverse reptile groups, with over 380 species, primarily found across Asia.

The geckos were found outside Nepal’s eight officially recognized biodiversity pockets, prompting calls for a shift in conservation priorities. The authors recommend designating sites like these as “Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures” (OECMs) under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity — a move that would help protect species beyond formal reserves or Special Conservation Sites (SCS).

In Nepal, conservation has historically focused on flagship mammals like tigers and rhinos, leaving reptiles underfunded and understudied. Yet recent surveys in the Chure have produced surprising results, including the first national sightings of the water monitor (Varanus salvator) and the grass lizard (Takydromus sikkimensis)- recorded by Bhattarai’s team few years ago.

“This discovery reinforces the idea that Nepal’s biodiversity remains vastly underexplored,” said the authors. “Surveys in new areas continue to yield undescribed species. Integrative taxonomy — combining genetics and morphology — is essential to uncover Nepal’s true diversity and guide conservation planning.”

With its wide range of ecosystems, Nepal is internationally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. Forests across the country shelter more than 30,000 known species, including over 13,000 types of plants and 17,000 animals, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

The discovery of C. makwanpurgadhiensis and C. chure is a timely reminder that the smallest, often unnoticed species may hold the key to understanding and preserving Nepal’s unique ecological heritage — if only we take the time to look.