Endangered Species Guide

Endangered Reptiles
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Endangered Reptiles

Not much is known about the plight of reptiles as a whole, as only 8 percent of all known reptile species have been evaluated for inclusion on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Of these, over half — 341 reptiles — are now considered threatened or endangered.

Habitat loss appears to be the major issue facing reptiles, judging by those surveyed. Sea turtles in particular are vulnerable to destruction of nesting grounds, as well as having their eggs harvested. Non-native species, such as cats and dogs, also play a significant roll in the decline of many reptile species.

American Crocodile
Crocodiles are throwbacks to the time of the dinosaurs, having changed very little for hundreds of millions of years.

Anegada Ground Iguana
While the body of the Anegada ground iguana is a dusky brown, its legs, dorsal spines and tail are sprinkled with an iridescent turquoise blue.

Antiguan Racer
The Antiguan racer is an extremely rare species of snake that lives on Antigua, a Caribbean island.

Bog Turtle
The bog turtle is a small reptile species that is native to the eastern United States.

Egyptian Tortoise
The Egyptian tortoise lives in the fairly arid, low-humidity coastal desert regions of the Middle East.

Green Sea Turtle
Weighing between 300 and 350 pounds, the green sea turtle is the largest of the world's sea turtles.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle
The Hawksbill sea turtle is one of seven sea turtles found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the world.

Keeled Box Turtle
The keeled box turtle is a reptile found in the evergreen forests of India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and China.

Komodo Dragon
The Komodo dragon is the world's heaviest lizard, weighing 150 pounds or more.
Leaf-Nosed Lizard
The leaf-nosed lizard is endemic to Sri Lanka. It has a long, pointed snout with a horn at the tip, which is flattened and leaf-shaped.

Leatherback Sea Turtle
Weighing up to about 1,700 pounds, the leatherback sea turtle is by far the largest sea turtle.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle is so named for its large head.

Painted Terrapin
The painted terrapin is a rare aquatic turtle found in Southeast Asia. It is an estuarine species, which means it prefers brackish water.

Round Island Boa
The Round Island boa is a rare and elusive snake species about which not much is known.

Siamese Crocodile
The Siamese crocodile is a Southeast Asian reptile that lives in slow-moving freshwater habitats such as rivers, swamps and streams.

Spineless Forest Lizard
The spineless forest lizard is one of several lizard species endemic to the forests of Sri Lanka.

Virgin Islands Tree Boa
The Virgin Islands tree boa is a brown snake with dark spots that lives in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and other nearby islands.