Scientists carried out a comprehensive review concerning the risks reptiles face. Their findings were beyond astonishing; over a fifth of all these species are on the verge of extinction. A study published recently on nature.com assessed over 10,000 reptiles across the globe. These included lizards, snakes, crocodiles, and turtles, among others.
According to the study, humanity must prevent unprecedented changes to the ecosystem of our planet. And to do that, we have to conserve the reptiles that have been living in harmony with us since time immemorial. These species rank highly when it comes to the diversity of vertebrates. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that they have always been overlooked. Their contribution to the ecosystem is disregarded as well. And, now, we are on the brink of losing a good chunk of them.
Neil Cox, a Conservation International scientist, who co-led the study, says that the threat analysis is the most comprehensive to date. Furthermore, he fears that more species of reptiles are threatened compared to birds. Well, this shows that we have to ramp up global efforts to make sure the worst does not happen.
Extinction Threats Reptiles Face
Reptiles have been around for hundreds of millions of years. They first appeared on earth long before humans did, and, it is unfortunate that we are the ones actively driving them to extinction. Given how long (over 300 million years, to be precise) reptiles have been around, it is no surprise that they are massively diversified. Today, we have reptiles that can swim, burrow, and climb. Also, some reptiles, like the Draco lizard (flying dragon), can fly. What’s more, this diversity has led to over 10,000 reptile species living on every continent but Antarctica.
However, regardless of their habitats, these animals face immeasurable challenges. And, as mentioned time and again in this article, these challenges are mostly due to human influence. Human activities, like agriculture, pose a massive threat to over half of all snakes and lizards, according to studies.
Direct persecution, like hunting, is another prominent threat our scaly friends face. This threat is mostly affecting crocodiles and turtles whose skins and shells are becoming agonizingly common in today’s markets. People also consume the flesh of these animals, thereby, rapidly driving down their populations across the globe.
The study also shows that other forms, like the change in land use and habitat destruction (such as logging, urban development, and pollution) also contribute greatly to driving reptiles into extinction. These activities mostly affect reptile species living in forests. According to the study, habitat destruction and land use change have left 30% of reptile species on the brink of extinction.
Another threat that can drive a good number of reptiles to extinction is climate change. We all know that the impact of climate change is becoming more severe, and the results could be unprecedented. Climate change mostly threatens species living in isolated habitats like islands.
These species cannot disperse as quickly as they would like. Therefore, any long-term changes and extreme events in their already fragile environment can quickly make them extinct. The sea level is rising and, soon, a good number of islands will disappear underneath the waters. Unfortunately, this will spell an end to the species living on these islands.
Although the study concludes that approximately one out of five reptiles are on the verge of extinction, the fate of 15% of reptile species remains unknown due to data deficiency. But, assuming that they too are threatened, then as many as 33% of these animals could be facing extinction.
Measures to Put in Place to Ensure Reptiles Do Not Become Extinct
As far as the study is concerned, all is not lost. There are still some measures we can put in place to prevent reptiles from becoming extinct. For instance, it turns out that conservation efforts targeting other animals can also benefit reptiles.
Dr. Bruce Young, the co-author of the study, advises that one way to fix this is to protect the places where reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals live together. According to him, this move can protect more reptiles than imagined.
Conclusion
Protecting reptiles must be made a priority. That is because, if they become extinct, then severe impacts will be felt across the globe. Not only will larger animals lose their prey but also the population of insects will keep growing until it spirals out of control. Valuable ecosystems will also be permanently altered.