Amphibians

Common coqui (Eleutherodactylus coqui)
Common coqui [Photo: Ronald T. Richards, USGS,
NBII Digital Image Library]

Reptiles and amphibians are traditionally studied together under the scientific field "herpetology" (from the Greek herpein, to creep). Visit the NBII Amphibians Project to learn more about amphibians.

Threatened and Endangered Species

Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) [Photo: David Burdick,
NOAA Photo Library]

The Department of Defense (DoD) Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) Repository represents a compilation of DoD documents and data made available online through NBII.

Visit the Department of Defense Threatened and Endangered Species Repository.

more...

Research and Monitoring

Researcher observing with a camera
Researcher with a camera [Photo: Thomas A. Hermann, 
NBII Digital Image Library]

The National Resources Monitoring Partnership (NRMP) is a collaboration between state, Canadian provincial, and federal natural resource management agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions to share protocols being used to govern monitoring projects. Visit NRMP to find reptile protocols being used for research and reptile monitoring projects happening across the land.

Reptiles

Iguana (Family: Iguanidae)

Iguana (Family: Iguanidae) [Photo: Randolph Femmer, NBII Digital Image Library]

Amphisbaenians, lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodilians, and tuatara make up the 8,734 known reptile species of the world. Their size and shape are tremendously diverse, from the largest living turtle, the leatherback sea turtle, to the tiny, 16mm gecko (Sphaerodactylus ariasae). Despite the great diversity, scientists are concerned that the diversity of reptiles in the world is declining. Volunteering at an organization dedicated to conservation is one way to help prevent reptiles in the wild from becoming endangered or extinct.

Learn More About

Amphisbaenians Crocodilians Lizards
Snakes Tuatara Turtles

Reptile Conservation Information
Showing 10 of 63 ( Show All )
CollapseAmerica's Hottest Species Ten Endangered Wildlife, Fish and Plants Impacted by Climate Change (PDF, 16 pp., 1.92 MB)
Description: The 2009 America's Hottest Species report focuses on wildlife, fish, birds and plants on the U.S. list of threatened and endangered species that are particularly imperiled by global warming. The species included here are meant as ambassadors, representing the kinds of threats that many endangered species face across the nation. For each species, includes a discussion of threats related to global warming, and life history including photograph, notes on appearance, range, habitat type, primarydiet, estimated populations, and partner organizations.
Resource Type: Issue Overviews
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: Endangered Species Coalition
CollapseAmphibians and Reptiles in Great Lakes Wetlands: Threats and Conservation
Description: This fact sheet describes the importance of wetlands to people, to the ecology of the biosphere as a whole, and especially to the amphibians and reptiles that depend upon wetlands for their survival. It examines some of the various threats to our remaining Great Lakes wetlands and some of the ongoing efforts to protect existing wetlands and restore degraded ones.
Resource Type: Issue Overviews, Management Plans
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service
CollapseBiodiversity and Conservation: A Hypertext Book by Peter J. Bryant
Description: An overview of the pathways and impacts of introduced species worldwide.
Resource Type: Issue Overviews
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: University of California, Irvine
CollapseCalifornia's Threatened and Endangered Reptiles and Amphibians
Description: Checklist of California's Threatened and Endangered Reptiles and Amphibians.
Resource Type: Checklists and Identification Guides
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: California Department of Fish and Game, Natural Heritage Division
CollapseCanadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network Homepage
Description: The Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network (CARCNET) represents the Canadian biologists who study, protect and educate people about amphibians and reptiles. They help to coordinate public involvement in frog and toad monitoring programs across Canada, and work to conserve Canada's native species of amphibians and reptiles, developing a system to designate Important Reptile Areas and Important Amphibian Areas in Canada to raise about the areas that are special for these animals.
Resource Type: Checklists and Identification Guides, Non-profit Agencies
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Environment Canada
CollapseCenter for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Description: Home page of the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management whose mission is to promote the understanding and conservation of reptiles and amphibians of the Midwestern United States and beyond through research, education and outreach.
Resource Type: Checklists and Identification Guides, Management Plans and Reports
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Indiana-Purdue University
CollapseColorado Listing of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Species and Species of Special Concern
Description: List of wildlife species found in Colorado with scientific names and status.
Resource Type: Checklists and Identification Guides, Fact Sheets
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Colorado Department of Natural Resources
CollapseDeclining, Threatened, and Endangered Species Database
Description: A searchable database has been iteratively designed to summarize nomenclature, phylogeny, geographic location, life history, population size and status, stressors and sources of stressors (with special emphasis on contaminants and pollution) presumed to have caused the decline, proposed recovery tasks, and research needs.
Resource Type: Datasets, Databases and Information Systems
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
CollapseDistrict of Columbia’s Wildlife Action Plan: Reptiles of Greatest Conservation Need
Description: The publication lists the species of reptiles that have the greatest conservation needs in Washington D.C. Each entry lists the species of reptile, its status, range, local habitat, species ecology, threats, conservation action, and a photograph.
Resource Type: Life Histories and Species Profiles
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: District Department of the Environment
CollapseEndangered and Threatened Animals of Utah (PDF)
Description: This guide presents and discusses the legal implications of management activities on current land uses should a threatened or endangered species be identified. In addition, Utah's threatening and endangered animals are described and information on what is and can be done to assist in recovery of rare species or to eliminate the need to list other species is provided.
Resource Type: Issue Overviews, Life Histories and Species Profiles, Management Plans, Standards and Guidelines
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: Utah State University

Conferences of Interest


 
  The Wildlife Society 2011 Annual Conference
11/5/2011 - 11/10/2011
Waikoloa, Hawaii
United States

  World Congress of Herpetology 7
8/8/2012 - 8/14/2012
Vancouver, 
Canada


Geographic Perspectives

Map of United States

Discover the reptiles that occur in:

*California
*Central Southwest and Gulf Coast (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, Gulf Coast)
*Southern Appalachian (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee)
*Hawaii and Pacific Basin
*Marine Habitats/Oceans

more...

Invasive Amphibians and Reptiles

 Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis)
Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) [Photo: Gordon H. Rodda, USFWS Digital Library System]

Numerous species of amphibians and reptiles have been introduced into the United States. They often come as hitch hikers on cargo and imported plants. Many also are introduced into nonnative habitat by people releasing their unwanted pets.

Learn more about Invasive Amphibians and Reptiles.

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