Skip Navigation
Share Share
Endangered Reptiles

In the Indian Ocean, on Rodriguez Island, there used to be a giant tortoise called the Rodriguez greater tortoise. Because these tortoises were large AND tasty, sailing ships would regularly stop at this island and stock up on these tortoises to eat during long voyages. By 1795, the tortoises were extinct.

Today, many tortoises and other reptiles face the same fate as the Rodriguez greater tortoise. Sample these internet sites and complete the activities for each one to learn about the factors that are endangering reptiles worldwide.

Nangur Skink
http://www.qmuseum.qld.gov.au/features/endangered/animals/skink.asp

  1. In what part of the world do these lizards live?
  2. What is their habitat?
  3. Why are they endangered?

White Throated Savanna Monitor
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azmonitor.html

  1. Why are their numbers decreasing?

Komodo Dragon
http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_komodo.htm

  1. Where in the world do they live?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. How do they kill their prey?
  4. Why are they endangered?

American Alligator
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/gator.html

  1. The American alligator was recently changed from the status of endangered to threatened. What factor lead to their numbers declining?
  2. Describe the differences between the American alligator and the American crocodile.

Gila Monsters
http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHgila.htm

  1. Gila monsters are now protected by law. What does a Gila monster look like?

Burmese Python
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azpythn.html

  1. About how long do they get?
  2. In what part of the world do they live?
  3. What do they eat?
  4. How do they kill their prey?
  5. Why are they endangered?

Green Iguana
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azgrigna.html

  1. Where in the world do they live?
  2. Why are their numbers decreasing?

Galapagos Giant Tortoise
http://www.bonus.com/applets/flashcrd/fcard.cgi?MASTERDIR=danger&TOPIC=160037

  1. Where in the world do they live?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. What is the threat to their survival?

Hermann's Tortoise
http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azhrtort.html

  1. Where in the world do they live?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. Turtles normally have a long life expectancy. But how long do they usually live if they are sold as a pet?
  4. Why are their numbers decreasing?

West African Dwarf Crocodile
http://www.lincolnzoo.org/spotlight-croc.html

  1. Where in the world are they found?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. Why are they endangered?

Siamese Crocodile
http://www.mccsc.edu/~jcmslib/silver/crocodile/

  1. Why have humans killed this animal?

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
http://www.nwf.org/wildalive/seaturtle/

  1. Where in the world are they found?
  2. In terms of their size, how do they compare to other sea turtles?
  3. What do these turtles eat?
  4. What is arribada?
  5. These sea turtles mostly nest in only one place. Where is it?
  6. About how many eggs do females lay?
  7. How long does it take for the eggs to hatch?
  8. How does temperature determine the gender of turtle hatchlings?
  9. What is endangering these turtles?

 

Eastern Indigo Snake
http://www.geocities.com/shavano08/eindigo.html

  1. Where can this snake be found?
  2. What do they eat?
  3. Eastern indigo snakes are not poisonous. What is unusual about how they react to poisonous snakes?
  4. Why are they endangered?

Round Island Day Gecko
http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/riGecko.html

  1. Where in the world are they found?
  2. What is their habitat?
  3. Why are they endangered?

Gavial
http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/egavial.htm

  1. Where in the world do they live?
  2. Why are they endangered?
 Bibliography

Markle, Sandra and William. Gone Forever! An Alphabet of Extinct Animals. New York : Antheum, 1998.

Image is copyrighted by ArtToday. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us