One-fifth of reptiles worldwide face risk of extinction

WASHINGTON (AP) — A comprehensive new assessment of thousands of reptiles species has found that 21% are considered endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable to extinction. The list of vulnerable species includes such iconic reptiles as the king cobra and the Galapagos marine iguana. Most of the world’s species of sea turtles are also threatened. Worldwide, the greatest threat to reptile life is habitat destruction. Reptiles that live in forest areas are more likely to be threatened with extinction than desert-dwellers — in part because forests face greater human disruptions. The research was published Wednesday (April 27, 2022) in the journal Nature.