Endangered Reptiles & Amphibians

The California Red-Legged Frog

• The California red-legged frog is native to the western United States and is one of the largest frogs measuring from 1.5 to 5 inches in length. This frog features legs that are mostly red while the back of the frog usually has black spots. The frogs are found in areas that have both dense vegetation and still or slow moving waters.

  The California red-legged frog is endangered due to mining, recreation, the planting of non-native plants, degraded water quality and new predators, all of which have been a direct result of human activities. The invasion of the frog's habitat has resulted in plummeting numbers of these frogs.

The Virgin Islands Boa

• The Virgin Islands Boa is a tree boa that presents with a light brown back and is covered with darker brown spots. The underside of the snake is cream colored and has gray or brown speckles. The Virgin Islands boa grows three to four feet in length and is not venomous. The species is indigenous to the Virgin Islands and can also be found on the Islands east of Puerto Rico.

  The dwindling population of the Virgin Islands boa is due to cats, mongoose and rats that have been introduced by humans, throwing the whole ecosystem off balance. Clearing of lands for construction is also to blame for the ever decreasing number of Virgin Islands boas.

Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle

• The Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle is native to Alabama, as its name would indicate. The turtles are about one foot in length when grown and have green or dark brown shells with red markings along either side. The belly area of the shell is usually a pale yellow or red, with the colors being more vibrant when the turtles are young.

  The Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle is endangered due to trapping practices, being caught in fishing nets and crabbing traps, and an inability to find suitable nesting areas due to modifications of the land by people. The adult turtles are preyed upon for food by humans and alligators and the turtle eggs are often preyed upon by large birds.

Chinese Alligator

• The Chinese alligator is found throughout China and is one of the smallest members of the crocodilian family. The Chinese alligator has a stocky physique that is marked by large, hard scales on the back and softer and smaller scales on the sides. The species can range in color from a dark green, gray, or black color. This species is distinguished from others due to an upturned and tapered snout.

  The Chinese alligator is endangered due in large part to habitat destruction. The wetlands throughout China have been removed or changed to make way for construction or modified to allow for planting. The result is that the alligators are often left without a home or killed by farmers that do not want them on their lands. It is thought that there are only 130 to 150 individuals of this species left.

Culebra Island Giant Anole

• The Culebra Island giant anole is brown or gray in color with two lines traveling down each side of the body that are white in color. The tail is a yellowish brown and the overall body length is usually 6.3 inches. The giant anole lives in trees and is found on the Culebra Island in Puerto Rico.

  Habitat destruction is why the Culebra Island giant anole is considered endangered. The species has been listed as endangered since the 1930s but has not actually been sighted in the wild since the 1930s. Pollution of plants and fruits that anoles feed on may have added to the stress put on this species, resulting in very low numbers, with the only known specimens being found in captivity at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology and Harvard University.