A Fifth of World's Reptiles Face Extinction: Lizards Say Farewell

If you like lizards, you may be in for some sad news. Almost a fifth of the world's reptile species are currently at risk of extinction, according to new research.

The study, conducted by the Zoological Society of London in conjunction with 200 experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Species Survival Commission, found that the future of a massive 19 percent of the world's reptiles is threatened. An additional 47 percent are vulnerable, while at least three species may possibly face extinction.

Published in the journal Biological Conservation, the study examined 1,500 reptile species out of the estimated 9,500 in the world today. It highlighted that threat levels are particularly high in the tropics due to pressures from both agriculture and logging.

Reptiles are a group of vertebrates that includes turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards and crocodiles among others. They're currently at extreme risk for extinction since many of them are highly specialized in terms of habitat use. When a climate shifts or conditions change, it leaves reptiles at a loss when it comes to adaptation.

For example, one species listed as critically endangered, the jungle runner lizard Ameiva vittata, was once recorded in one part of Bolivia. Sadly, two recent searches for the lizard prompted by destruction of its habitat were unsuccessful. It could be that the reptile is already extinct.

This isn't the only reptile that's under threat. The study also found that 50 percent of freshwater turtle species were at risk of extinction and that 30 percent of freshwater reptiles were in danger of disappearing as a whole.

This study is just one of many that aims to provide an indicator of biodiversity both now and over time. Since reptiles can be critically important in food webs as both predators and prey, preserving them should be a priority. Learning what exactly is causing these population declines in reptiles could help scientists better preserve species from extinction.