Tokay geckos are something not often found in private collections here in the US, but overseas in Malaysia they are selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars as wild-caught animals. The reason? They are being touted as a cure for AIDS.

Blogs all over Asia are spreading rumors of a miracle cure for HIV/AIDS found in the mouth of the Tokay, either in the saliva or the tongue. As a result, Tokays are disappearing from the wild in critical numbers.

From the Washington Post:

“TRAFFIC is alarmed at the massive increase in trade of these geckos. If the trade continues to mushroom, it could take years to repair the damage currently being inflicted on gecko populations,” said Chris R.Shepherd, TRAFFIC’s regional deputy director.

The geckos, popular as pets in Asia, have long been used as traditional medicine for illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, skin disease and cancer, the report said. Their carcasses are dried up and ground into powder for consumption. In some parts of Asia, Tokay wine or whisky is consumed to boost energy.

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Shepherd said the Tokay Gecko remained poorly protected by national legislation and called for the lizard to be protected under CITES, the international convention on endangered species, before it becomes extinct.

Captive-bred animals may become all that is left of this species, like so many before, all because of unsubstantiated wild rumors about a "miracle cure" for AIDS.