Oct 21st Reptile Awareness Day

World Reptile Day is an international event designed to celebrate the diversity of reptiles. It’s also a time to raise awareness of the plight of reptiles worldwide.  What is your favorite reptile?  Comment below.

Why is Reptile Awareness Day celebrated?

Reptiles can easily be ignored in the push for animal protection in favour of mammal and bird species. But they desperately need our help too. More than one in five reptile species is threatened with extinction — largely due to human activities and exploitation.

Their biggest threats include:

• Habitat loss: A large proportion of reptiles are threatened by habitat loss. As forests and other reptile habitats are cleared for agriculture, logging, and urban expansion, reptiles have less suitable space to find food, shelter, and a mate.
• Wildlife trade: Reptiles are bred for profit and taken from the wild as part of the illegal wildlife trade. Reptiles like turtles, snakes, and lizards are sold as exotic pets, while crocodiles are traded for their skins.
• Wildlife tourism: Reptiles are also bred in captivity and taken from the wild to be used as part of wildlife tourism attractions. They’re kept in stressful and unnatural environments and are often forced into cruel interactions with humans, prioritising entertainment over their welfare.

How to protect reptiles

Reptile Awareness Day is an opportunity to speak up for reptiles living in captivity or being kept as pets, as well as ongoing concerns about more reptile species becoming endangered in the wild.

You can play your part in protecting reptiles this National Reptile Awareness Day and beyond by:

• Never buying reptiles or reptile products, such as skins
• Being a responsible traveller and rejecting wildlife entertainment involving reptiles
• Supporting habitat protection and climate action
• Learning about the impacts of the exotic pet trade
• Supporting organisations working to protect wildlife and end exploitation