Reptiles: why one in five species face extinction

[UngulateNerd92]

Reptiles are cold-blooded and scaly animals, the majority of which are predators. They include some of the most deadly and venomous creatures on Earth, including the spitting cobra and saltwater crocodile.

Many of these fascinating creatures are feared by humans and inhabit hard-to-traverse places such as swamps. Compared with birds, amphibians and mammals, there is little data available on the distribution, population size and extinction risk of reptiles. This has meant that wildlife conservationists have largely helped reptiles indirectly in the past by meeting the needs of other animals (for food and habitat for example) living in similar places.

Now, a first-of-its-kind global assessment of more than 10,000 species of reptiles (around 90% of the known total) has revealed that 21% need urgent support to prevent them going extinct. But since reptiles are so diverse, ranging from lizards and snakes to turtles and crocodiles, the threats to the survival of each species are likely to be equally varied.

Here are five important findings the new study has unveiled.

Reptiles: why one in five species face extinction

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL lists the following critically endangered chelonian species: Atlantic ridley turtle (1 ZTL collection); hawksbill turtle (11); big-headed turtle (8); bog turtle (1); radiated tortoise (105); ploughshare tortoise (9); Santiago giant tortoise (1, but considered a subspecies in ZTL); Burmese star tortoise (13); Madagascan spider tortoise (23); Egyptian tortoise (48); Madagascan flat-tailed tortoise (3); southern river terrapin (3); northern river terrapin (3); red-crowned roofed turtle (1); yellow-headed temple turtle (3); Indochinese box turtle (9); Southern Vietnamese box turtle (5); Sulawesi forest turtle (2); Madagascan big-headed side-necked turtle (5)

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL lists the following critically endangered crocodilian species: Orinoco crocodile (1 ZTL collection; Philippine crocodile (14); Cuban crocodile (37); Siamese crocodile (29); slender-snouted crocodile (16); Chinese alligator (22); gharial (11)

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL lists the following critically endangered lizard species: Utila spinytail iguana (28 ZTL collections); Nguru pygmy chameleon (4); William's electric blue gecko (59); Madagascar beautyhead (1); Pronk's day gecko (1); Bojer's skink (1); Bermuda skink (1); Union Island clawed gecko (1)

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL lists the following critically endangered snake species: Catalina Island rattlesnake (1 ZTL collection); Wagner's viper (5); Orlov's viper (1)

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Here are more relevant articles.

Later, gator? One-fifth of all reptile species could go extinct, new study says

• Of the 10,196 species assessed, scientists found that at least 1,829 (21%) of species were threatened with extinction.
  
  
• "The potential loss of one-fifth of all reptile species reminds us how much of Earth's biodiversity is disappearing."
  
  
• The study was published in the peer-reviewed British journal Nature on Wednesday.

Reptile species in danger as study finds 21% of them could go extinct

 

[UngulateNerd92]

One-fifth of reptiles worldwide face risk of extinction

Even the king cobra is "vulnerable." More than 1 in 5 species of reptiles worldwide are threatened with extinction, according to a
comprehensive new assessment
of thousands of species published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Of 10,196 reptile species analyzed, 21% percent were classified as endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable to extinction -- including the iconic hooded snakes of South and Southeast Asia.

One-fifth of reptiles worldwide face risk of extinction

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Study: More than a fifth of reptile species face extinction

In the most comprehensive review yet of the risks facing reptiles, scientists find that more than a fifth of all these species are threatened with extinction.

A new study, published today in Nature, assesses more than 10,000 reptiles around the world — from turtles, snakes and lizards to crocodiles — and warns that we must conserve them to prevent dramatic changes to Earth’s critical ecosystems.

“Reptiles are one of the most diverse groups of vertebrates — we’re talking about species that have been largely overlooked in conservation studies — and the potential loss is striking,” says Conservation International scientist Neil Cox, who co-led the study.

“This threat analysis is the most extensive to date. We’ve found more reptile species are threatened than birds, a sign that global efforts to conserve them must be ramped up.”

Study: More than a fifth of reptile species face extinction

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Here is a relevant video;