World's Most Endangered Reptiles

From Giant Turtles and deadly snakes to Blue Iguanas and living fossils; Here are 13 of world’s most endangered reptiles


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5.
Gharial (GUR-ee-uhl)
At around 20 feet long and weighing over a ton, this crocodile appears menacing enough … but it actually poses little threat to humans. Their signature long, thin snouts with over 100 sharp teeth are thought to be an adaptation to their diet, which is primarily fish. That’s a distinct contrast to other crocodiles and alligators … which are known for their expansive, crushing bites. Did you know the Gharial (GUR-ee-uhl) is a critically endangered species … their population in the wild is estimated at less than 240 individuals.

4.
Golden Lancehead Snake
These deadly serpents live on a tiny island off the coast of Brazil’s Sao Paulo state known as
lha de Queimada (ILL-ha Duh Qwhy-da-mah) … or Snake Island. It’s safe to say Indiana Jones would never land here … the place is literally crawling with snakes. It’s estimated that some 4000 Golden Lancehead pit vipers are densely packed into the area, and they’re some of the most venomous serpents in the world. For those who suffer their bite, there is no antidote that completely negates the toxin’s effects, which can include brain hemorrhage. Throughout the island, snakes have been tied up, making it impossible for humans to enter, and citizens are banned from the island. They’re considered critically endangered because they’re only known to exist within a limited geographic range.

3.
Tuatara (too-uh-TAHR-uh)
You could argue that this is one of the oldest creatures on Earth. Although it looks like a lizard, the Tuatara is a single species … and is the only surviving member of an order that goes back some 200 million years! No wonder they’re often called ‘living fossils’. They weigh less than 3 pounds and go just over 30 inches from head to tip of tail. Two extant species of Tuatara are indigenous to New Zealand … their name is taken from the Maori (m-OW-ree) language, and translates to ‘peaks on the back’. Because they can take up to 20 years to reach sexual maturity, their reproduction rates are low … with females mating and laying eggs once every four years. While the creature have been protected by law since 1895, their existence is still threatened by habitat loss and invasive predators like the Polynesian rat. Did you know experts think these critters could live up to around around 200 years in captivity!

2.
A few segments back, we told you about the endangered blue iguanas … and it turns out that an additional threat to them might come from their fellow lizards. The introduction of green iguanas has been viewed as a potential hazard to the blue iguanas’ existence … that’s due in part because they greatly outnumber their blue counterparts, and have a reputation as an invasive species. But they themselves are considered endangered in certain areas of Central and South America … that’s because they’re often hunted as a food source. The picture seems to suggest some of them are on sale at a market of sorts. Did you know they’re often called ‘chicken of the trees’?

1.Yangtze Giant Soft-shell Turtle (Hoan Kiem Turtle)
We actually featured this critter in an episode of Crypto Fun Friday … because it was once thought to be a cryptid known as the Hoan Kiem (hone-keem) Turtle, or the legendary turtle god. The creature figures prominently in Vietnamese folklore, and is said to be the guardian of a magic sword used to defeat invading Chinese armies. The turtle, and the sword were said to be found in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Until 1998 the turtle was considered a myth …but that year, researchers were able to capture footage of the creature and obtain some live samples. Science later formally recognized the reptile as the exceedingly rare Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle, although it’s known by a few other titles as well. It’s also known as the largest freshwater turtle in the world, with reports that certain specimens weighed over 500 pounds! Today, the animal is considered critically endangered, with only three individuals known to exist. .