Cold-Blooded Murder

Reptiles and Amphibians on the Brink of Extinction
Craig Stanford tells the captivating stories of dozens of endangered reptiles and amphibians, depicting the ecological roles and unique characteristics of each species.
Around the world, many reptile and amphibian speciesfrom the iconic Komodo dragon to the unglamorous Telfairs skinkare facing grave threats to their survival. For many, like the Belalanda chameleon of Madagascar and Mexicos beloved axolotls, habitat destruction due to logging, agriculture, and development poses the greatest peril. Some, such as Galpagos giant tortoises, have been slaughtered wholesale by humans. Others, like Caribbean rock iguanas, have been driven to the brink of extinction by the introduction of new species to their island homes. Commercial exploitation is another risk to animals like the ploughshare tortoise, in high demand in the global black market pet trade, and the Cuban crocodile, prized for its s