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Michele Menegon
The spiny-flanked chameleon is listed as vulnerable to extinction on a list of threatened and endangered species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is from the Udzyngwa region of Tanzania.
Nearly one fifth of all reptiles — turtles, snakes, lizards and crocodiles — are on a slippery slope toward extinction due to loss of habitat, overharvesting and other factors, a new report says.
The study is the first of its kind to summarize the global conservation status of reptiles. More than 1,500 species were selected at random from around the world for conservation assessments in an effort to gain a representative sample.
The results highlight "conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world’s reptiles," more than 200 researchers led by Monika Böhm at the Zoological Society of London write today in the journal Biological Conservation.
"Nearly one in five reptilian species are threatened with extinction, with another one in five species classed as Data Deficient."
Michele Menegon
The Usambara eyelash viper is found only in Tanzania's Usambara and Udzungwa mountains, which are under threat from deforestation due to agricultural development and increasing human population and logging for timber.
Of the estimated 19 percent of reptiles threatened with extinction, 12 percent classified as critically endangered, 41 percent as endangered and 47 percent as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Other species groups are experiencing similar patterns of decline, Böhm told NBC News, which may come as a surprise to members of the conservation community.
"People thought 'Oh reptiles are going to be fine,'" she said. "They are not. They are showing precisely the same patterns." The finding, she added, highlights the need to include reptiles in conservation planning.
One of the reasons some people think reptiles are doing fine is because they are often hardy creatures and live in extreme habitats, such as deserts. But reptiles are highly specialized in their habitat use, have small ranges, and are sensitive to even slight changes in temperature, Böhm noted.
Ruchira Somaweera
The lyre head lizard from Sri Lanka is a near threatened species, which means it is likely to be listed as a threatened species.
This makes habitat loss the biggest threat to reptiles. A species that lives in tropical forest habitat, for example, would immediately feel changes in its microclimate if the habitat was cleared and converted to agriculture.
Reptiles "are also not particularly mobile," Böhm said. "So it’s not like they can move like other species that have higher mobility."
Extinction risk is particularly high among freshwater turtles, which are impacted by the declining health of freshwater systems as well as harvesting for meat and the international pet trade, the report notes. Overall, the researchers estimated that 50 percent of freshwater turtles are close to extinction.
Gene Blythe / AP
This file photo shows a rare baby Arakan forest turtle being raised at Zoo Atlanta. The zoo is the only facility in the world successfully breeding the Arakan forest turtle, which is on the list of the world's most critically endangered species.
The restricted ranges and low mobility of some terrestrial reptiles such as Anolis lizards make them vulnerable to human pressures, such as in Haiti where extensive deforestation affects lizard habitat.
Three critically endangered species in the study were highlighted as possibly extinct, including the jungle runner lizard that has only ever been recorded in one part of Bolivia where much of its tropical habitat is being lost to agriculture and logging. Two recent searches for the lizard were unsuccessful.
Reducing the tide of habitat loss and establishing more protected areas are vital to saving reptiles, Böhm said, acknowledging that protecting habitat is challenging given our own species' need for space.
"But it is really something that we need to think about," she said. "Particularly as climate change starts becoming a bigger threat because the healthier habitats are, the more resistant they probably are to these threats in the future."
John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, check out his website.
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I find this quite disturbing-30 years ago the Leopard Frog Was so abundant around here I would clean hundreds out of our pool every spring, now you would be lucky to get any, mostly toads and few salamanders. Most of the "good bugs" are gone, but abundant pesky ones.
Grew up in a '60's neighborhood in Austin where we would regularly see horned toads, snapping turtles and others, water-moccasin and others, crawfish and several species of fish. Today that creek where I learned about wildlife is as dead as a drainage ditch - thats really all it is now.
Yes, very disturbing. However, there are things that can be done to help out this situation. Land development and agricultural rules that retain critical habitat, namely waterways and other riparian corridors, would help tremendously for all kinds of wildlife. They would also give people important open space to make our lives a little more enjoyable and certainly more sustainable. As long as land owners are fairly compensated it could be good for everyone. But money isn't the only way to reserve open space. As long as the rules are fair to all and don't penalize some more than others, it can be part of the rules of development and agriculture. If the rules are widespread, reasonable development limitations would allow profitable development and agricultural use while retaining wildlife corridors. In situations where an owner has a high proportion of riparian land, a system of transfer of development or ag. rights, where these rights are sold or traded to other developers or ag. people, would achieve the desired result without always relying on taxpayer money to purchase the land.
Land planners and city planners have these solutions in their tool bag, but are often overshadowed by development interests with big pockets (full of politicians). And ag. interests are pretty much untouchable. But I think the time is here to start practicing more sustainability. Even many developers and ag. people agree.
There is little that can be done about this. Almost all of this is in third world countries many of which have such huge population growth that they cause massive destruction of habitat just for basic survival. The charities need to start asking donation for birth control rather than showing starving children who if you feed them will just breed another generation of starving children to feed.
Nature has a way of 'correcting' things...wouldn't be surprised to see something major hit the populations of the world if the 'human race' continues to destroy the eco-system.
It's funny to be talking about extinction after a day like today. We ourselves where possible only 17k+ miles away from a catastrophe, to bad maybe next time.
Our species will NOT do enough until it is US who are suffering mass die offs. It appears we are unable to change until we reach the brink or are actually falling over the brink.
So sad. When the power to change things for the better lies within each of us and in each pair of hands.
We're NOT getting away with this Wholesale Extermination of The Animals AKA God's Innocent Children. Animals ARE Planet Earth's Natural Caretakers and having been doing a fantastic Job for 400,000,000 (400Million) Years. We, ManKind, Is an Errrant Evolved species from the Great Apes 4Million Years ago and WE Have been a One Species Planetary Wrecking Team for the Past 300Years; Of Course it's Not Right. Squatting, Splatting Babies All over The Planet to the tune of 7,000,000,000 Humans eating up and $H!TT!NG the Environment Like there's No Tomorroow and killing off the Animals; AND We Men are to blame for this with OUR need to "Drop our load". If Women Ruled the Planet, It is Doubtful this Horrible Mess would have happened. Checkout the growing and Spreading Zombie Fungus in the Brazilian Rain Forests; Headed OUR WAY. When MomNature Steps In; Forget About It. IT IS OUR TIME TO Vanish, Checkout National Geographic "The World After Humans Are GONE"
assuming mankind is around 100-200 years from now they will look at the 20th and 21st century as an example of how NOT to do things.
I can see it happening in front of my eyes. I grew up in the Appalachians where woodland box turtles were plentiful. I could easily find a few in one afternoon. The last decade I lived in the Appalachians I saw zero box turtles.
I grew up in Minnesota, and when it rained in the summer, the roads would be littered with frogs jumping all over the place. Now, it's all empty. Just a few worms here and there. Hardly a single frog.
I can relate to the other commenters' first-hand experiences as well. There were always turtles, garter snakes, frogs, salamanders, and other little reptiles and amphibians around in abundance when I was a kid. My friends and I were quite interested in the critters and would even help out our neighbors by catching them out of their yards and window wells and releasing them safely out in the country, ponds, parks etc.
That was 20 years ago though, and I haven't seen a frog or turtle or garter snake in the area in years. Most people here chalk it up to the increased use of chemical pesticides and herbicides by area farmers in the past couple of decades.
When we were younger our eyes were closer to the ground, we made less noise when we walked and we took smaller steps. Now days we never look down unless we are looking for puddles and if we have our phones we are always making noise in the daily rush to get to the next place. Sad isn't it.
Humankind doesn't care enough to protect our own environment! It's just too expensive to do the right thing. I hate to be so pessimistic, but we are all doomed.
There are just too many of us.
Yeah, too many of us. But what happens when a woman wants to do something about that? How many men in powerful positions step in and try to enact laws that reduce the options open to women to control population growth. And I am not speaking only of abortion. How about the 'morning after pill'? That doesn't cause an abortion, it just prevents an egg from implanting and developing into a baby (if the egg happened to be fertilized in the first place). How about groups such as Planned Parenthood, which can give women (and men) assistance in finding a birth control method that keeps them from needing abortion because they're not getting pregnant. How many religions still try to say that birth control is wrong but ignore excessive population growth that threatens to overwhelm our ability to put food and potable water on the tables of those already here. They're more concerned at growing the numbers for their religion and less concerned how they're going to live once they're here. I think we would be better off if more women got into politics, especially into higher offices where laws are enacted. Things might begin to look a little different (and my first suggestion: any man that has produced over four children has a mandatory vasectomy; a man that is a deadbeat father of any number of children...automatic vasectomy. I bet if women started enacting laws as draconian as these, men to sit up and take notice - most likely howl to the high heavens about having no control over their own bodies and reproductive choices!)
we're screwed.
No. That's the problem. We can't STOP screwing. I seriously think the Chinese have it right with the one child policy. You have one and move one. Boy or girl..tough toodles. You take it and move on.
@ Questions Authority,
I don't know of anyone that has more than 4 children and most only 3. We have changed but our problem is even though we changed we are letting more and more people into a country that someday will not be able to support everyone. It is a losing battle that today was almost rectified by a few million if the rock had hit a well populated area or been a little bigger or had been only one of many. We can only dream things will get better I guess.
And the problem is.......Us.
Climate change.
can't wait for the yellow bellied baptist to go extinct. they are venomous and evil
Rob - I figure your line will go extinct someday soon too. You don't seem smart enough to figure out how to breed...
I'm guessing that frog was wishing that snake was extinct right about now...
ROFLMAO
Am I the only one who saw the Lyre lizard and thought 'Bogart'?
Yep.
The only way we can move from continuing decline and endangerment of various species is for people to get involved in their local areas.
We need a 30-hour work week in order to give people enough time for nature activities that are not just sports.
I don't see how giving people more free time is going to help. Then you will have more need for outdoor recreational areas. Golf courses do not make great reptile habitat...except for the sand traps maybe...
Not in the Everglades, Pythons have taken over and they are hunting them.
I so much more identify with the values of greedy hypocrites grabbing all the money they can with both hands to keep their bitter, shallow women and pay for grossly overpriced prescriptions for boner pills and painkillers, (while they condemn hippies and potheads). Who needs all this nature stuff? Nature just seems kind of liberal to me somehow. And if God meant for these animals to survive he'd have taught them how to live off of dumpsters behind strip malls. I need to work on getting a bigger screen for the drivel I watch on TV. I have no time for this liberal, tree-hugger, protect-the-environment-upon-which-we-ultimately-completely-rely activism.
Delightful example of sarcasm.
It's funny how so many of today's so-called Christians are so excited by the idea of somebody doing some gay s*** somewhere, but these cretins can look at animals and nature and not just naturally view destroying it with a frivolous, gluttonous lifestyle as an affront to God. Hell I'm one of the least religious people in the world, and the only time I come close to any spiritual thought or wondering if there's a God is seeing the amazingly diverse and fascinating animals, etc. nature has to offer.
It's also funny how morals and intelligence are so much about the person and what they bring to whatever they do and not about the club or church they join or the flag they wave.
Bill - You do realize that all animals on the planet are greedy, right? The best feeding spot, the best mate, the best position in their social hierarchy (if they have one). Life is a greedy force. It has to be to survive. Humans have taken it to a whole new level, but it's a part of the DNA of all life forms.
Apparently Bill realized it, and shut his useless pie hole. Let history show that Bill was too gutless to reply...
And yet the world will go on without them.
Ah, who cares, when is the last time a reptile ever paid taxes?
As long as there are politicians, there will always be snakes.
The dinosaurs went extinct. But not really. The species that survived had evolved into birds. 95% of all species that have ever existed have gone away. Something will survive mankind's assault on this planet and bloom after mankind goes away.
And yet we continue our rapacious destruction with the building of unneeded vacation homes, ranchettes, our use of off-road vehicles, our use of water for lawns and unmonitored agriculture. Sad.
Yes, let's move on up to that deluxe apt on the East side. I'll stay on my 8 acres here in Alaska.
I guess you are gonna love Agenda 21. Google it. Scratch that. You probably already know what it is.
That computer and cellphone you have comes from a semiconductor plant which consumes 5 million gallons of fresh water PER DAY. That water comes straight from the municipal water supply. I know because I used to work at one. It's like the electric car. People think they are cleaning up the air by driving electric cars. What they don't know is the electricity used to charge the battery comes from buring coal.
Bologna. Turtles, lizards and snakes survived when the dinosaurs couldn't. Next to cockroaches, these reptiles will live on.
Over crowding, someone has to go.
You first.
The same people who want fewer people are the ones against guns. Why?
Too bad two legged dheads aren't also on the endangered list. The world just can't seem to get enough of them.
The two legged animals are the only species that commits suicide. No other animals do that. Here is your chance to make the planet a better place.
Job - several primates commit suicide. They get despressed and stop eating and eventually die. It's not Mindy McCready suicide, but it suicide nonetheless...
GodEvangelicals say, "Carry on."According to those animal wackos they are all endangered so this is nothing new.
Humans are smart.
Yeah, smart enough to kill off the plants and animals in their environment that are actually beneficial, that keep insect and rodents in check, smart enough to poison the air he breathes, the water he drinks, and the soil from which his food comes. And smart enough to think that technology will always be there to save him from the problems he's created.
You mean like a beaver than dams a stream and floods out all sorts of rodents, birds, and insects? Oh, wait, that is "natural"...