Factors Responsible for Global Decline of Reptilian Population: A Review

Abstract

Reptiles are now categorized as threatened group due to dramatic decline in population both at local and global level. They are currently facing extinction risks in future due to habitat loss and fragmentation, landscape modification, vanishing of natural ecosystem, global warming and climate changes, pressure of parasitism and other disease and invasion of floral and faunal species, unsustainable use and illegal trading in poaching market. Reptile’s population is mainly affected due to excessive anthropogenic pressures like expansion of urbanization, deforestation, road killing, handling by recreationists, habitat fragmentation due to human settlement and mining activities. Biological factors like low level of genetic diversity, natural disasters, extreme environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, rainfall and day light perception also influence reptile population and behavioral biology. Systematic studies related to reptile taxonomy, ecology, behavior and molecular biology at species level, might be helpful for better conservation and also understanding pattern and trends of genetic variability among reptile populations at regional and global level will also be beneficial for elucidating gene pool of reptiles.