List of critically endangered reptiles facts for kids
Imagine a world where some of your favorite reptiles might disappear forever. That's what "critically endangered" means. It's the most serious warning sign for animals and plants that are very close to becoming extinct in the wild.
As of September 2016, a group called the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps a list of these animals. They found that 195 different kinds of reptiles are critically endangered. This includes 17 species that might already be gone, or "possibly extinct." About 3.8% of all reptiles they've checked are in this high-risk group. The IUCN also lists 12 types of reptile subspecies as critically endangered.
Sometimes, there isn't enough information about a reptile species to know if it's in danger. These are called "data deficient" species. The IUCN has about 910 reptile species (18% of those checked) in this category. Even though we don't know their exact status, these species often live in small areas or have small populations, which means they are likely to be threatened. The IUCN suggests we should pay close attention to them, just like we do with threatened species, until we can learn more.
This article lists the critically endangered reptile species and subspecies. Some are marked as "possibly extinct" by the IUCN. We also note if a specific group within a species is critically endangered.
Turtles and Tortoises in Danger
There are 40 species, three subspecies, and two groups of turtles and tortoises that are critically endangered.
Sea Turtles
These amazing turtles live in the ocean but are facing big threats.
Species
- Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Atlantic ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
Big-headed Turtles
- Big-headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum)
Tortoises in Trouble
Tortoises are land-dwelling reptiles. Many are critically endangered.
Species
- Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
- Angonoka tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora)
- Santiago giant tortoise (Chelonoidis darwini)
- Española giant tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis)
- Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota)
- Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)
- Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus)
- Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
- Forsten's tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii)
- Home's hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys homeana)
- Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
- Asian forest tortoise (Manouria emys)
- Geometric tortoise (Psammobates geometricus)
- Spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides)
- Flat-backed spider tortoise (Pyxis planicauda)
- Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)
Subspecies
- Testudo graeca nikolskii
Asian Pond and River Turtles
These turtles live in freshwater habitats across Asia.
- Southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis)
- Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska)
- Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis)
- Three-striped roof turtle (Batagur dhongoka)
- Red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga)
- Burmese roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata)
- Yellow-headed box turtle (Cuora aurocapitata)
- Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti)
- Indochinese box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons)
- Guangxi box turtle (Cuora mccordi)
- Shaanxi box turtle (Cuora pani)
- Southern Vietnamese box turtle (Cuora picturata)
- Golden coin turtle (Cuora trifasciata)
- Yunnan box turtle (Cuora yunnanensis)
- South Chinese box turtle (Cuora zhoui)
- Yellow-headed temple turtle (Heosemys annandalii)
- Arakan forest turtle (Heosemys depressa)
- Giant Asian pond turtle (Heosemys grandis)
- Sulawesi forest turtle (Leucocephalon yuwonoi)
- Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis)
- Yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica)
- Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Mauremys sinensis)
- Malaysian giant turtle (Orlitia borneensis)
- Assam roofed turtle (Pangshura sylhetensis)
- Four-eyed turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata)
- Philippine forest turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)
Softshell Turtles
These turtles have soft, leathery shells instead of hard ones.
Species
- Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra chitra)
- Nubian flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis elegans)
- Leith's softshell turtle (Nilssonia leithii)
- Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei)
Subspecies
- Black spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera atra)
Other Critically Endangered Turtles
This section includes various other turtle species from different families.
Species
- Roti Island snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi)
- Central American river turtle (Dermatemys mawii)
- Madagascan big-headed turtle (Erymnochelys madagascariensis)
- Bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)
- Colombian toad-headed turtle (Mesoclemmys dahli)
- Hoge's side-necked turtle (Mesoclemmys hogei)
- Magdalena River turtle (Podocnemis lewyana)
- Western swamp turtle (Pseudemydura umbrina)
- Flattened musk turtle (Sternotherus depressus)
Subspecies
- Seychelles yellow-bellied mud turtle (Pelusios castanoides intergularis)
- Seychelles black mud turtle (Pelusios subniger parietalis)
Subpopulations
- Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) (4 subpopulations)
Critically Endangered Crocodiles
These powerful reptiles are also facing severe threats to their survival.
- Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis)
- Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)
- Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)
- Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer)
- Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis)
- Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
- Slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus)
Lizards in Danger
There are 110 species, four subspecies, and one group of lizards that are critically endangered.
Iguanas and Their Relatives
This group includes iguanas and other similar lizards.
Species
- Fiji crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis)
- Galápagos pink land iguana (Conolophus marthae)
- Utila spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri)
- Oaxaca spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura oaxacana)
- Turks and Caicos rock iguana (Cyclura carinata)
- Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei)
- Anegada rock iguana (Cyclura pinguis)
- Ricord's rock iguana (Cyclura ricordii)
Subspecies
- Exuma rock iguana (Cyclura cychlura figginsi)
- Sister Isles rock iguana (Cyclura nubila caymanensis)
- White cay rock iguana (Cyclura rileyi cristata)
- Cyclura rileyi rileyi
Subpopulations
- Black-chested spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura melanosterna) (2 subpopulations)
Glass Lizards and Alligator Lizards
This group includes slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards.
- Jalapa Arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia campbelli)
- Frost's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia frosti)
- San Cristobal galliwasp (Celestus anelpistus) (possibly extinct)
- Giant Hispaniolan galliwasp (Celestus warreni)
- Montserrat galliwasp (Diploglossus montisserrati)
- Jamaican giant galliwasp (Celestus occiduus) (possibly extinct)
Geckos in Peril
Geckos are small lizards known for their sticky feet.
- Cnemaspis anaikattiensis
- Paevala nimble gecko (Dierogekko inexpectatus)
- Kaala striped gecko (Dierogekko kaalaensis)
- Koniambo striped gecko (Dierogekko koniambo)
- Striped gecko (Dierogekko nehoueensis)
- Poum striped gecko (Dierogekko poumensis)
- Taom striped gecko (Dierogekko thomaswhitei)
- Jeypore ground gecko (Geckoella jeyporensis)
- Sao Vicente half-toed gecko (Hemidactylus bouvieri)
- Dragon tree half-toed gecko (Hemidactylus dracaenacolus)
- Kunda half-toed gecko (Hemidactylus kundaensis)
- 'Eua forest gecko (Lepidodactylus euaensis)
- Tsiafajavona dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus mirabilis)
- Turquoise dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi)
- Marbled gecko (Oedodera marmorata)
- Mount Francais leaf-toed gecko (Paroedura lohatsara)
- Antanosy day gecko (Phelsuma antanosy)
- Masohoala day gecko (Phelsuma masohoala)
- Marbled day gecko (Phelsuma pronki)
Wall Lizards Facing Threats
These lizards are often found on walls and rocks.
- Be'er Sheva fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus beershebensis)
- Harran fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus harranensis)
- Tunisian fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus mechriguensis)
- Spiny-tailed fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus spinicauda)
- Charnali lizard (Darevskia dryada)
- Transcaucasian desert runner (Eremias pleskei)
- La Palma giant lizard (Gallotia auaritae) (possibly extinct)
- La Gomera giant lizard (Gallotia bravoana)
- Tenerife speckled lizard (Gallotia intermedia)
- Hierro giant lizard (Gallotia simonyi)
- Salamanca rock lizard (Iberolacerta martinezricai)
- Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei)
Skinks at Risk
Skinks are a diverse group of lizards, often with smooth, shiny scales.
- Annobon lidless skink (Afroablepharus annobonensis)
- Madras spotted skink (Barkudia insularis)
- Cebu small worm skink (Brachymeles cebuensis)
- Lesser Saint Croix skink (Capitellum parvicruzae) (possibly extinct)
- Moroccan coastal cylindrical skink (Chalcides ebneri)
- Christmas Island forest skink (Emoia nativitatis)
- Mariana skink (Emoia slevini)
- New Caledonian ground skink (Geoscincus haraldmeieri)
- Satellite Islands slit-eared skink (Gongylomorphus bojerii)
- Ono-i-lau ground skink (Leiolopisma alazon)
- Greater robust fine-lined slider (Lerista allanae)
- Kopéto smooth skink (Lioscincus vivae)
- Sakalava short-legged sand skink (Madascincus arenicola)
- Roatán skink (Marisora roatanae)
- Mount Kaala marble-throated skink (Marmorosphax kaala)
- Mount Taom marble-throated skink (Marmorosphax taom)
- Northern dwarf skink (Nannoscincus exos)
- Pindai dwarf skink (Nannoscincus hanchisteus)
- Kopéto elf skink (Nannoscincus manautei)
- Sakalava legless skink (Paracontias fasika)
- Antsiranana blind legless skink (Paracontias minimus)
- Orangea Forest legless skink (Paracontias rothschildi)
- Parvoscincus tikbalangi (Parvoscincus tikbalangi)
- Bermuda rock skink (Plestiodon longirostris)
- Slender limbless slider (Pseudoacontias menamainty)
- Culebra skink (Spondylurus culebrae)
- Greater Saint Croix skink (Spondylurus magnacruzae) (possibly extinct)
- Mona skink (Spondylurus monae)
- Monito skink (Spondylurus monitae) (possibly extinct)
- Lesser Virgin Islands skink (Spondylurus semitaeniatus)
- Virgin Islands bronze skink (Spondylurus sloanii)
- Greater Virgin Islands skink (Spondylurus spilonotus) (possibly extinct)
Other Lizards in Danger
This section lists other critically endangered lizard species.
- Finca Ceres anole (Anolis juangundlachi)
- Culebra Island giant anole (Anolis roosevelti) (possibly extinct)
- Eared worm-lizard (Aprasia aurita)
- Contomastix vittata (possibly extinct)
- Knuckles pygmy lizard (Cophotis dumbara)
- Okoloma worm lizard (Cynisca gansi) (possibly extinct)
- Kigom Hills worm lizard (Cynisca kigomensis)
- Western chameleon gecko (Eurydactylodes occidentalis)
- Grenadines clawed gecko (Gonatodes daudini)
- Homonota taragui
- Magdalena scaly-eyed gecko (Lepidoblepharis miyatai) (possibly extinct)
- Liolaemus aparicioi
- Cranwell's tree iguana (Liolaemus cranwelli) (possibly extinct)
- Liolaemus cuyumhue
- Rabino's tree iguana (Liolaemus rabinoi)
- Saint Croix ground lizard (Pholidoscelis polops)
- Bami toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus golubewii)
- Phrynocephalus horvathi
- Lima leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus sentosus)
- Gulbaru leaf-tailed gecko (Phyllurus gulbaru)
- Antioquia swamp lizard (Ptychoglossus danieli)
- Queretaro Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus exsul)
- Haitian striped sphaero (Sphaerodactylus williamsi)
- Haensch's whorltail iguana (Stenocercus haenschi) (possibly extinct)
Snakes Facing Extinction
Many snake species are also critically endangered around the world.
Species
- Zong's odd-scaled snake (Achalinus jinggangensis)
- Antiguan racer (Alsophis antiguae)
- Golden lancehead (Bothrops insularis)
- Tioman reed snake (Calamaria ingeri)
- Sandakan reed snake (Calamaria prakkei) (possibly extinct)
- Saint Vincent blacksnake (Chironius vincenti)
- Andasibe big-headed snake (Compsophis vinckei)
- Santa Catalina Island rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis)
- Brazilian woodland racer (Drymoluber apurimacensis)
- Guanaja long-tailed snake (Enulius bifoveatus)
- Lacépède's ground snake (Erythrolamprus cursor)
- Honduran red-banded earth snake (Geophis damiani)
- Pulau Tioman ground snake (Gongylosoma mukutense)
- Jamaican racer (Hypsirhynchus ater)
- Isla Todos Santos mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis herrerae)
- Ross' wolf snake (Lycodon chrysoprateros)
- Clarion racer (Masticophis anthonyi)
- Roatan coral snake (Micrurus ruatanus)
- Wagner's viper (Montivipera wagneri)
- Tioman Kukri snake (Oligodon booliati)
- Agalta Mountain forest snake (Omoadiphas cannula) (possibly extinct)
- Yoro Mountain forest snake (Omoadiphas texiguatensis)
- Kikuzato's brook snake (Opisthotropis kikuzatoi)
- Ornate shovel-snout (Prosymna ornatissima)
- Ankafina ground snake (Pseudoxyrhopus ankafinaensis) (possibly extinct)
- Atlántida dwarf brown snake (Rhadinella tolpanorum)
- Merendón Mountains snaileater (Sibon merendonensis)
- Braided Shadow Snake (Synophis plectovertebralis)
- Three-banded centipede snake (Tantilla tritaeniata)
- Viquez's tropical ground snake (Trimetopon viquezi) (possibly extinct)
- Hong Kong blindsnake (Typhlops lazelli)
- Anatolian Mountain steppe viper (Vipera anatolica)
- South Caucasian viper (Vipera darevskii)
- Mount Papai viper (Vipera orlovi)
- Typical Madagascar blind snake (Xenotyphlops grandidieri)
Subspecies
- Dipsas albifrons cavalheiroi
- Sardinian grass snake (Natrix natrix cetti)
- Natrix natrix schweizeri
See also
- Lists of IUCN Red List critically endangered species
- List of least concern reptiles
- List of near threatened reptiles
- List of vulnerable reptiles
- List of endangered reptiles
- List of recently extinct reptiles
- List of data deficient reptiles
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