Common name : Black-tailed python, Indian rock python Scientific name : Python molurus Family : Pythonidae Native to : Southern Asia Interesting fact : After a heavy meal (a deer, for eg.), they can go for almost a year without food. Conservation status : Near Threatened Living in forests and woodlands is the third longest […]

Common name : Gavial, Fish-eating crocodile Scientific name : Gavialis gangeticus Family : Gavialidae Native to : India Interesting fact : Humans are their only predators who hunt them for leather and meat. Conservation status : Critically Endangered A narrow, long and bulbous snout identifies the Indian ghariyal that is closely related to the salt

Scientific name : Iguana sp. Family : Iguanidae Native to : Mexico, Central America, Brazil and the Caribbean Island Interesting fact : In addition to excellent vision, a third eye on top of the head can sense predators above. Conservation status : Vulnerable Iguanas are large lizards, about 5 to 6 feet long, with typical

Scientific name : Dicamptodon aterrimus Family : Dicamptodontidae Native to : Idaho Interesting fact : It is the largest salamander in Idaho. Conservation status : Least Concern The idaho giant salamander has intricate dark patterns on a silvery tan to copper background. They can be found hiding under logs and barks of trees in coniferous

Scientific name : Podarcis hispanicus Family : Lacertidae Native to : Iberian peninsula, North-Western Africa and South France Conservation status : Least Concern Iberian wall lizards love to climb rocks, walls and cliffs. Smallest of the wall lizards, they are slender with very long tails. The back is brown or grey with three longitudinal stripes

Common name : Galapagos land Iguana Scientific name : Conolophus subcristatus Native to : Galapagos Islands Interesting fact : A high ocean temperature resulting in loss of seaweed beds forced the marine iguanas to search for food on land and ultimately they breed with the land iguanas. Conservation status : Least Concern The hybrid iguana

Common name : Bearded dragons Scientific name : Pogona sp. Family : Agamidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : It has beard under the neck that turns black and enlarges when stressed or in the presence of another male. Conservation status : Least Concern The hypo translucent leatherback is a genetic variant that is

Common name : Slender boa Scientific name : Epicrates cenchria Family : Boidae Native to : Central and South America Interesting fact : The scales of the snake show beautiful rainbow colours while reflecting light. Conservation status : Not Assessed The Het Hypo variant of the Brazilian rainbow boa snakes lacks genes for black pigments

Common name : Flatbread snake Scientific name : Oxybelis fulgidus Family : Colubridae Native to : Central America and Northern South America Interesting fact : It follows the prey to a distance, bites its head and lifts it off the ground to render it helpless. Conservation status : Not Assessed This brilliant green snake is

Common name : Common Iguana Scientific name : Iguana iguana Family : Iguanidae Native to : Central and South America and the Caribbean Island Interesting fact : Good at climbing, they can fall from 50 feet height without hurting themselves. Conservation status : Listed on Appendix II of CITES as they are popular as pets

Common name : Carolina anole, American anole, Red-throated anole Scientific name : Anolis carolinensis Family : Dactyloidae Native to : South-Eastern United States and a few Caribbean Islands Interesting fact : It is sometimes referred to as the American chameleon as it can change colour from various shades of brown to bright green. Conservation status

Common name : Thorny tree frog Scientific name : Gracixalus lumarius Family : Rhacophoridae Native to : Vietnam Interesting fact : The spikes on the back of a male become larger during the mating season. Conservation status : Not Assessed The thorny tree frog is a newly discovered species. It is yellow with a pink

Scientific name : Gopherus polyphemus Family : Testudinidae Native to : South-Eastern United States Interesting fact : It is the official reptile of Georgia and official tortoise of Florida. Conservation status : Vulnerable Many other animals depend on these tortoises that dig burrows and hence are called ‘keystone’ species. Their forefeet are scaled to adapt