List of near threatened reptiles facts for kids

Near Threatened (NT) species do not currently qualify for Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU), but are likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future, or are already close to qualifying.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global group that keeps track of how animals and plants are doing. They have a special list called the Red List. Animals on this list are "Near Threatened" if they are not in immediate danger but could become threatened in the future. This means their numbers are getting low, and we need to watch out for them.

As of 2016, the IUCN listed 329 types of reptiles as Near Threatened. This means about 6.4% of all reptiles they checked are close to being in trouble. They also listed two reptile subspecies and two groups of reptiles (called subpopulations) as Near Threatened.

This article lists all the reptile species and subspecies that the IUCN has marked as Near Threatened.

Reptiles That Need Our Help

Turtles and Tortoises

Many turtles and tortoises are facing challenges in their homes. Here are some species that are Near Threatened:

Species

Big-headed pantanal swamp turtle (Acanthochelys macrocephala)
Brazilian radiolated swamp turtle (Acanthochelys radiolata)
Black spine-neck swamp turtle (Acanthochelys spixii)
Northern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina oblonga)
Reimann's snake-necked turtle (Chelodina reimanni)
Narrow-bridged musk turtle (Claudius angustatus)
Asian leaf turtle (Cyclemys dentata)
European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis)
Escambia map turtle (Graptemys ernsti)
Graptemys pulchra
Speckled cape tortoise (Homopus signatus)
Natal hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys natalensis)
Tabasco mud turtle (Kinosternon acutum)
Herrera's mud turtle (Kinosternon herrerai)
Sonora mud turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense)
Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
Japanese pond turtle (Mauremys japonica)
Indian black turtle (Melanochelys trijuga)
Vanderhaege's toad-headed turtle (Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei)
Brown roofed turtle (Pangshura smithii)
Arrau turtle (Podocnemis expansa)
Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi)
Northern red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris)
Red side-necked turtle (Rhinemys rufipes)
Brown wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys annulata)
Furrowed wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys areolata)
Black river turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea)
Large-nosed wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys nasuta)
Mexican spotted wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys rubida)
Giant musk turtle (Staurotypus salvinii)
Mexican musk turtle (Staurotypus triporcatus)
Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata)
Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
Central Antillean slider (Trachemys stejnegeri)

Subspecies

Siebenrock's snake-necked turtle (Chelodina rugosa siebenrocki)

Subpopulations

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) (2 subpopulations)

Crocodiles and Alligators

Only one species of crocodile is currently listed as Near Threatened. This shows that conservation efforts are important for these large reptiles.

Black caiman (Melanosuchus niger)

Lizards That Are Near Threatened

There are 213 different types of lizards that are considered Near Threatened. This means many lizard species need our attention to protect their homes and futures.

Geckos and Their Relatives

These lizards are known for their unique feet that help them climb. Many types of geckos and their close relatives are on the Near Threatened list.

Gracile bavayia (Bavayia geitaina)
High elevation bavayia (Bavayia madjo)
Pretty bavayia (Bavayia pulchella)
Robust forest bavayia (Bavayia robusta)
Pale-stripe bavayia (Bavayia septuiclavis)
Bauer's chameleon gecko (Eurydactylodes agricolae)
Vieillard's chameleon gecko (Eurydactylodes vieillardi)
Black-eyed gecko (Hoplodactylus kahutarae)
Harlequin gecko (Hoplodactylus rakiurae)
Jewelled gecko (Naultinus gemmeus)
Golden spiny-tailed gecko (Strophurus taenicauda)
Hawequa flat gecko (Afroedura hawequensis)
Dwarf bronze gecko (Ailuronyx tachyscopaeus)
Different-scaled day gecko (Cnemaspis heteropholis)
Ponmudi day gecko (Cnemaspis nairi)
Ornate day gecko (Cnemaspis ornata)
Sispara day gecko (Cnemaspis sisparensis)
Sikkimese bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus gubernatoris)
Palawan bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus redimiculus)
Cyrtodactylus salomonensis
Islands striped gecko (Dierogekko insularis)
Spotted bowfinger gecko (Geckoella triedrus)
Smooth-scaled narrow-disked gecko (Gekko athymus)
Small-scaled leaf-toed gecko (Goggia microlepidota)
Anamalai Hill gecko (Hemidactylus anamallensis)
Boavista leaf-toed gecko (Hemidactylus boavistensis)
Grant's leaf-toed gecko (Hemidactylus granti)
Muller's velvet gecko (Homopholis mulleri)
Lygodactylus blancae
Lygodactylus expectatus
Western dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus guibei)
Malagasy dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus klemmeri)
Lygodactylus rarus
Lygodactylus viscatus
Tsodilo thick-toed gecko (Pachydactylus tsodiloensis)
Paroedura ibityensis
Paroedura maingoka
Nosy Be ground gecko (Paroedura oviceps)
Phelsuma berghofi
Phelsuma dorsivittata
Phelsuma malamakibo
Pasteur's day gecko (Phelsuma pasteuri)
Philippine flying gecko (Ptychozoon intermedium)
Namaqua day gecko (Rhoptropella ocellata)
Uroplatus alluaudi
Uroplatus finiavana
Hispaniolan giant gecko (Aristelliger lar)
European leaf-toed gecko (Euleptes europaea)
Wadi Kharrar rock gecko (Pristurus gallagheri)
Atlas day gecko (Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus)
Jamaican forest sphaero (Sphaerodactylus goniorhynchus)
Zapata big-scaled sphaero (Sphaerodactylus richardi)
Barahona limestone sphaero (Sphaerodactylus thompsoni)
Darwin's leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus darwini)
Galapagos leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus galapagensis)
San Cristóbal Island leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus leei)
Phyllodactylus unctus
Tarentola raziana

Chameleons: Masters of Disguise

Chameleons are famous for changing color and their long, sticky tongues. Many of these amazing lizards are also Near Threatened.

Zululand dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion nemorale)
Natal Midlands dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion thamnobates)
Amber mountain leaf chameleon (Brookesia ambreensis)
Antakarana leaf chameleon (Brookesia antakarana)
Brookesia betschi
Brookesia brunoi
Brookesia confidens
Brookesia griveaudi
Brookesia micra
Amber mountain chameleon (Calumma amber)
Calumma ambreense
Calumma guibei
Calumma marojezense
Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii)
Peltier's chameleon (Calumma peltierorum)
Socotran chameleon (Chamaeleo monachus)
Furcifer timoni
Mount Nyiro bearded chameleon (Kinyongia asheorum)
Taita blade-horned chameleon (Kinyongia boehmei)
Carpenter's chameleon (Kinyongia carpenteri)
Fischer's chameleon (Kinyongia fischeri)
Sharp-nosed chameleon (Kinyongia oxyrhina)
Kilimanjaro blade-horned chameleon (Kinyongia tavetana)
Strange-nosed chameleon (Kinyongia xenorhina)
Mount Mabu chameleon (Nadzikambia baylissi)
Palleon lolontany
Mount Mabu pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon maspictus)
Bale two-horned chameleon (Trioceros balebicornutus)
Bioko montane chameleon (Trioceros feae)
Mount Hanang chameleon (Trioceros hanangensis)
Trioceros kinangopensis
Marsabit one-horned chameleon (Trioceros marsabitensis)
Cameroon sailfin chameleon (Trioceros montium)
Mount Kulal stump-nosed chameleo (Trioceros narraioca)
Mount Kenya dwarf chameleon (Trioceros schubotzi)

Anoles: Agile Tree Lizards

Anoles are small, quick lizards often found in trees and bushes. Several species are listed as Near Threatened.

Barahona grass anole (Anolis alumina)
Armour's anole (Anolis armouri)
Foothill anole (Anolis monticola)
Ghost anole (Anolis spectrum)
Speckled anole (Anolis ventrimaculatus)

Wall Lizards: Quick and Nimble

Wall lizards are often seen darting across rocks and walls. Many of these fast-moving lizards are Near Threatened.

Bedriaga's fringe-fingered lizard (Acanthodactylus bedriagai)
Savigny's Fringe-fingered Lizard (Acanthodactylus savignyi)
Alpine meadow lizard (Adolfus alleni)
Adolfus masavaensis
Greek algyroides (Algyroides moreoticus)
Bedriaga's rock lizard (Archaeolacerta bedriagae)
Atlas dwarf lizard (Atlantolacerta andreanskyi)
Soutpansberg rock lizard (Australolacerta rupicola)
Darevskia dahli
Derjugin's lizard (Darevskia derjugini)
Ajarian lizard (Darevskia mixta)
Meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola)
Unisexual lizard (Darevskia unisexualis)
Green keel-bellied lizard (Gastropholis prasina)
Greek rock lizard (Hellenolacerta graeca)
Pyrenean rock lizard (Iberolacerta bonnali)
Iberolacerta galani
Horvath's rock lizard (Iberolacerta horvathi)
Iberian emerald lizard (Lacerta schreiberi)
Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis)
Blanc's sand racer (Psammodromus blanci)
Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)
Cottrell's mountain lizard (Tropidosaura cottrelli)

Skinks: Smooth-Scaled Reptiles

Skinks are a large group of lizards with smooth, shiny scales. Many skink species around the world are considered Near Threatened.

Short-headed legless skink (Acontias breviceps)
Elongate short-legged burrowing skink (Brachymeles bicolor)
Brachymeles minimus
Northern litter skink (Caledoniscincus aquilonius)
Armitage's cylindrical skink (Chalcides armitagei)
Bedriaga's skink (Chalcides bedriagai)
Chalcides lanzai
Chalcides montanus
Moroccan Three-toed Skink (Chalcides pseudostriatus)
Stanger's skink (Chioninia stangeri)
Three-toed snake-tooth skink (Coeranoscincus reticulatus)
Viti slender treeskink (Emoia concolor)
Sharma's mabuya (Eutropis nagarjuni)
Solomon minute skink (Geomyersia glabra)
Hakaria simonyi
Ceylon tree skink (Lankascincus taprobanensis)
Tiller's maquis skink (Lioscincus tillieri)
Pandanus skink (Lipinia leptosoma)
Stumpff's skink (Madascincus stumpffi)
Fiordland skink (Oligosoma acrinasum)
Speckled Skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum)
Marbled skink (Oligosoma oliveri)
Paracontias brocchii
Paracontias hafa
Kishinoue's giant skink (Plestiodon kishinouyei)
Gronovi's dwarf burrowing skink (Scelotes gronovii)
Mountainous dwarf skink (Scincella monticola)
Deplanche's shiny skink (Sigaloseps deplanchei)
Beyer's sphenomorphus (Sphenomorphus beyeri)
Sphenomorphus cyanolaemus
Leyte sphenomorphus (Sphenomorphus llanosi)
Highland sphenomorphus (Sphenomorphus luzonense)
Mindanao sphenomorphus (Sphenomorphus mindanensis)
Aurora mountain skink (Sphenomorphus tagapayo)
Sphenomorphus victoria
Alpine meadow mabuya (Trachylepis irregularis)
Trachylepis nancycoutuae
Trachylepis volamenaloha
Voeltzkowia petiti

Ground Lizards of the Tropics

These lizards live in warm, tropical areas. Several species are now considered Near Threatened.

Rodrigues' lava lizard (Eurolophosaurus nanuzae)
Tiburon curlytail (Leiocephalus melanochlorus)
San Cristobal lava lizard (Microlophus bivittatus)
Microlophus duncanensis
Floreana lava lizard (Microlophus grayii)
Stenocercus angel
Western leaf lizard (Stenocercus fimbriatus)
Lesser ornate whorltail iguana (Stenocercus ornatissimus)
Tropidurus erythrocephalus

Dragon Lizards: Spiky and Strong

Dragon lizards, like the well-known bearded dragons, are a diverse group. Some of these spiky lizards are Near Threatened.

Solomons tree dragon (Hypsilurus macrolepis)
Hump snout lizard (Lyriocephalus scutatus)
Schmidt's mastigure (Uromastyx alfredschmidti)
Uromastyx shobraki
South Arabian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx yemenensis)

Horned and Fringe-Toed Lizards

This group includes lizards with unique features like horns or special toes for sandy environments. Some are now Near Threatened.

Spot-tailed earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata)
Flat-tail horned lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii)
Sceloporus ornatus
Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi)
Colorado desert fringe-toed lizard (Uma notata)
Uma paraphygas
Yuman desert fringe-toed lizard (Uma rufopunctata)

Liolaemids: South American Lizards

Liolaemids are a large family of lizards mostly found in South America. Several species are listed as Near Threatened.

Ctenoblepharys adspersa
Liolaemus chavin
Liolaemus quilmes
Liolaemus silvai
Liolaemus valdesianus
Phymaturus payuniae

Other Interesting Lizards

Here are more lizard species from different families that are also Near Threatened.

Amphisbaena hyporissor
Amphisbaena schmidti
Peloponnese slow worm (Anguis cephalonnica)
Flinders Ranges worm-lizard (Aprasia pseudopulchella)
Arizona striped whiptail (Aspidoscelis arizonae)
Gray checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis dixoni)
Colorado checkered whiptail (Aspidoscelis neotesselata)
Aspidoscelis rodecki
Bachia blairi
Celestus hylaius
Celestus scansorius
Lang's crag lizard (Cordylus langi)
Lawrence's girdled lizard (Cordylus lawrenci)
Campeche spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura alfredschmidti)
Echinosaura orcesi
Namaqua plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus typicus)
Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum)
Mayan tropical night lizard (Lepidophyma mayae)
Mountain pholidobolus (Pholidobolus montium)
Soutpansberg flat lizard (Platysaurus relictus)
Largescale lizard (Ptychoglossus eurylepis)
Angel Island chuckwalla (Sauromalus hispidus)
Border thick-tailed gecko (Uvidicolus sphyrurus)
Varanus nuchalis
Green Madagascar girdled lizard (Zonosaurus haraldmeieri)
Red-legged girdled lizard (Zonosaurus rufipes)

Snakes That Are Near Threatened

There are 81 types of snakes and one snake subspecies that are listed as Near Threatened. This means many snake species are also facing challenges in their natural homes.

Pseudoxyrhophiids: Snakes of Madagascar

Most of these snakes live on the island of Madagascar. Many are now Near Threatened.

Compsophis albiventris
Compsophis fatsibe
Heteroliodon lava
Liophidium pattoni
Liopholidophis dimorphus
Lycodryas carleti
St. Johann's tree snake (Lycodryas sanctijohannis)
Pseudoxyrhopus ambreensis
Pseudoxyrhopus analabe
Plateau brook snake (Pseudoxyrhopus imerinae)
Thamnosophis mavotenda

Vipers: Venomous Snakes

Vipers are a family of venomous snakes. Several viper species are now Near Threatened.

Agkistrodon bilineatus
Desert viper (Daboia deserti)
Moorish viper (Daboia mauritanica)
Armenian viper (Montivipera raddei)
Kinabalu green pit viper (Parias malcolmi)
Large-scaled pit viper (Peltopelor macrolepis)
Horned pit viper (Protobothrops cornutus)
Brongersma's pit viper (Trimeresurus brongersmai)
Vipera barani
Lotiev's viper (Vipera lotievi)
Atlas dwarf viper (Vipera monticola)
Transcaucasian long-nosed viper (Vipera transcaucasiana)

Dipsadids: Diverse Snakes

This is a very large group of snakes found mostly in the Americas. Many of them are Near Threatened.

Grey ground snake (Atractus occipitoalbus)
Taylor's snail-eater (Dipsas tenuissima)
Geophis nigroalbus
Ninia celata
Espinal's coffee snake (Ninia espinali)
Vermiculate graceful brown snake (Rhadinaea vermiculaticeps)
Stuart's graceful brown snake (Rhadinella pilonoarum)
Rhadinella rogerromani
Sibon manzanaresi
Sibon miskitus
Xizang hot-spring keel-back (Thermophis baileyi)
Striped swamp snake (Tretanorhinus taeniatus)

Elapids: Highly Venomous Snakes

Elapids include cobras and sea snakes, known for their strong venom. Several species are now Near Threatened.

Bardick (Echiopsis curta)
Short-nosed snake (Elapognathus minor)
Stephen's banded snake (Hoplocephalus stephensii)
Large-headed seasnake (Hydrophis pacificus)
Yellow-lipped sea snake (Laticauda frontalis)
Laticauda guineai
Black-banded sea krait (Laticauda semifasciata)
Cauca coral snake (Micrurus multiscutatus)
Micrurus spurrelli
Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis)
Black-striped snake (Simoselaps calonotus)
Japanese coral snake (Sinomicrurus japonicus)

Colubrids: Common Snakes

Colubrids are the largest family of snakes, found all over the world. Many of these common snakes are now Near Threatened.

Günther's vine snake (Ahaetulla dispar)
Conopsis amphisticha
Four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata)
Socotran racer (Hemerophis socotrae)
Short-tailed snake (Lampropeltis extenuata)
Ruthvens kingsnake (Lampropeltis ruthveni)
Sakashima green snake (Liopeltis herminae)
Western false smooth snake (Macroprotodon brevis)
Northern short-headed snake (Oligodon ancorus)
Oligodon lungshenensis
Perkin's short-headed snake (Oligodon perkinsi)
Pantherophis gloydi
Sinai banded racer (Platyceps sinai)
Triangled black-headed snake (Sibynophis triangularis)
Sonora aemula
Stegonotus muelleri

Keelbacks: Water and Stream Snakes

Keelbacks are often found near water. Several species in this group are Near Threatened.

Blossom krait (Balanophis ceylonensis)
Kirtland's snake (Clonophis kirtlandii)
Taron keelback (Hebius taronensis)
Brazos water snake (Nerodia harteri)
Concho watersnake (Nerodia paucimaculata)
Anderson's stream snake (Opisthotropis andersonii)
Dao Van Tien's stream snake (Opisthotropis daovantieni)
Guanxi mountain keelback (Opisthotropis guangxiensis)

Other Snakes

Here are more snake species from different families that are also Near Threatened.