23/03/2026
THE PSEUDOGEKKO HUNGKAG OF MOUNT JORMAHAN
The discovery of a gecko in Mount Jormahan that is believed to be a newly identified species is more than a scientific curiosity. It is a quiet revelation, like a hidden page of nature finally turning itself open. In a world where so much has already been mapped, measured, and named, the emergence of something new reminds us that there are still places that breathe mystery, still landscapes that cradle life unseen.
Mount Jormahan, resting within the caldera of Irosin, is not just a geographic feature; it is a living sanctuary. A caldera, formed from ancient volcanic force, becomes over time a basin of renewal, a place where life returns, adapts, and flourishes in delicate balance. The presence of this newly found gecko suggests that Irosin is not just home to life, but to life that is rare, unique, and possibly found nowhere else on earth. Like a jewel hidden beneath layers of time, it reflects the richness of an ecosystem that has quietly endured.
Such a discovery speaks volumes. It tells us that the caldera of Irosin has long been a cradle of biodiversity, a refuge for species that have survived against odds, evolving in isolation, protected by the very terrain that surrounds them. Where there is one newly discovered species, there may be more, creatures that move in silence, plants that bloom unseen, ecosystems that thrive beyond the reach of ordinary attention. The caldera is not just land; it is a keeper of secrets.
But with discovery comes responsibility.
To know that such life exists is to be entrusted with its future. These species, fragile as they are extraordinary, depend not on chance but on care, on forests that remain standing, on waters that remain clean, on human hands that choose preservation over destruction. Without protection, what has taken centuries to evolve may vanish in a moment.
Hence, this becomes more than a scientific milestone. It becomes a call. A call to us, as Irosinons, to see our home not only as a place to live, but as a legacy to protect. We are not merely inhabitants of the caldera; we are its stewards. The forests of Irosin are not just resources. They are sanctuaries. The creatures within them are not just wildlife. They are stories still being written.
There may indeed be more secrets hidden in the folds of the caldera, waiting, like the gecko of Mount Jormahan, for the right moment to be revealed. Whether those secrets endure or disappear depends on what we choose to do today.
For in caring for them, we do not only preserve nature.
We preserve a part of ourselves, our identity, and the quiet, enduring wonder of the place we call home.
Don't be deceived by the shadow in the crevices, it's Bicol's hollow-dwelling forest gecko, Pseudogekko hungkag!
Meet Pseudogekko hungkag – Bicol’s Hollow-Dwelling Forest Gecko!
Say hello to a a species of Philippine false gecko discovered in 2020 in the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon Island. Despite their resemblance to typical geckos, they are called “false geckos” because they are not closely related to the common house geckos we often see.
The name comes from the Greek word “pseudo” (false) and “gecko” (referring to the gecko family), while “hungkag” is a Tagalog word meaning “hollow” or “empty,” describing the gecko’s unique choice of shelter.
This elusive, hollow-dwelling forest gecko is endemic to a regenerating secondary forest near the peak of Mt. Jormahan in Barangay Cogon, Municipality of Irosin, Sorsogon Province. It is recognized as the second known member of the P. brevipes species complex from the Luzon Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex.
This species thrives in hollow cavities and crevices such as bamboo stems, tree branch cavities, and other tube-shaped or sheltered microhabitats. It prefers relatively undisturbed low- to mid-elevation forest habitats—many of which are sadly unprotected in the Bicol region. It is a small species, measuring about 42–52 mm in snout–vent length. With its cryptic coloration, it blends perfectly into the brown tree trunks and crevices of its natural habitat.
Unfortunately, Pseudogekko hungkag is currently under threat due to ongoing forest disturbances, especially around volcanic peaks like the unprotected Mt. Jormahan. As an endemic species of the Bicol Peninsula, P. hungkag is listed as Endangered under criteria B1ab (iii) by the IUCN.
We can help safeguard the future of P. hungkag and other endemic species in the Bicol Region through various conservation efforts. Expanding biodiversity surveys in poorly studied areas, promoting forest conservation and reforestation, advocating for the inclusion of its habitats in protected areas, and strengthening collaborations among scientists, local communities, and government agencies.
Text by: Chlarisse R. Banua (BU Intern)
