Rainforests have a wide spectrum of varied landscapes and water bodies that are perfect places for both animals and plants. Apart from providing suitable living conditions for plants, rainforests set the perfect abode for reptiles, amphibians, and mammals as well. ‘Herp’ is a term used collectively for amphibians and reptiles.
Rainforests provide a wide range of living spaces, ranging from high rocks to elevated canopies and creeks. The most common reptiles found are lizards, turtles, tortoises, venomous snakes, and crocodiles, and the amphibians found in abundance are frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and worm-like caecilians.
The green basilisk, the common iguana, the pygmy stump-tailed chameleon, the spectacled caiman, etc. are a few of the millions of reptile species identified.
Among the amphibians, the most commonly known are the giant Chinese salamander, gladiator tree frog, green poison arrow frog, Indian purple frog, monkey frog etc.
Out of the 4000 and more frog varieties spotted across the world, 427 varieties are indigenous to the Amazon rainforests alone.
In addition to deforestation, poaching and negative climatic changes, the outbreak of a deadly, mysterious disease that has caused the extinction of hundreds of frogs and toads and which is spreading across the globe has put scientists and naturalists on their toes. Drastic measures are being taken up to devise measures to control this pandemic and save further extinction of these threatened amphibians.
Picture Credit : Google
