Reptile Conservation

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Reptile Conservation

• Threatened Species
• Conservation Concerns
• What can I do?

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I. Threatened species

• Biodiversity Crisis reptiles affected too!
• http//www.iucnredlist.org/info/tables/table3a.htm
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• http//www.iucnredlist.org/search/search-basic.php
  
• http//www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/pdfs/TEAnimals.pdf

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Reasons for species decline
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Habitat destruction 1 cause for the decline in
species diversity
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1) Habitat destruction

1. Deforestation of tropical forests
2. Destruction of coral reef ecosystems
3. Wetland alteration for development
4. Temperate regions altered for agriculture
5. Habitat fragmentation

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Anthropogenic eutrophication
Directly Impacts aquatic turtle, alligator, snake
populations

• Nutrients released, triggering chain of events
• Increase in primary producers
• Reduction of light
• Reduction of oxygen
• Fish kill of some species

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Habitat Fragmentation
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2) Traffic Mortality Roadkill!
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Matthew Aresco, a 4th year PhD student in the
Department of Biological Science at Florida State
University built a temporary fence to divert
turtles (and other wildlife, gt 41 species) away
from the road and into a culvert that joined the
two lakes. Over the past 2.5 years he has
monitored the temporary fence at least twice per
day and maintained it at his personal expense (at
least 2000 out-of-pocket).
On November 15, 2004, the CRTPA (includes County
and City Commissioners) voted unanimously to
approve the Lake Jackson Ecopassage Feasibility
Study Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum
http//www.lakejacksonturtles.org/specieslist
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3) Over-harvesting
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The by-catch problem

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4) Exotic species

• Argentine ants linked to decline in coastal
  Horned lizards

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5) Pollution

• Biomagnification
• There is abundant evidence that some carnivores
  at the ends of longer food chains (crocodiles,
  alligators, snakes) suffered serious declines in
  fecundity and hence in population size because of
  this phenomenon

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6) Pet trade
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7) Persecution
http//www.rattlesnakeroundup.com/index.html
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III. What can I do?

1. Adopt a conservation ethic
2. Work
3. Educate
4. Educate yourself, family friends about the
   importance of having better green life choices