A Report on the Accidental Introduction of Asian House Gecko (<i>Hemidactylus frenatus</i> Duméril et Bibron, 1836) into the Heuksan Island of South Korea

Abstract

Recently, as trade between countries has flourished, the sale of living creatures has become more active. In this process, whether intentional or not, the introduction of non-native species is increasing as well. When non-native species are intentionally introduced, the route is evident which enables swift management. However, when accidentally introduced, the management of non-native species is difficult, because the route of the introduction is unclear. In this paper, we report a non-native species introduced into a small island in South Korea. On July 17, 2020, a gecko species was found on Heuksan Island. Based on its external traits, the gecko was identified as Hemidactylus frenatus, one of the rapidly increasing invasive species in the world. The gecko was dead in a packed box upon discovery, 88 km from the nearest port, and about 320 km from Seoul, where the package was shipped from. This case is yet another evidence of how non-native species can be introduced to other countries and even islands.