Reptiles & Amphibians
Reptiles and amphibians are two distinct groups of ectothermic vertebrates. Reptiles — lizards, snakes, crocodilians, and turtles — have dry, scaly skin and (mostly) lay shelled eggs on land. Amphibians — frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders — have moist, permeable skin and usually depend on water to breed. These profiles are educational, not care guides, and wild reptiles and amphibians should be observed without handling.
Reptiles
Scaly, mostly land-egg-laying vertebrates — crocodilians, lizards, snakes, and turtles.
Crocodile
Family Crocodylidae — large aquatic predators of the tropics.
Alligator
Family Alligatoridae — American and Chinese alligators.
Caiman
American crocodilians; spectacled caiman as a reference.
Snake
Suborder Serpentes — limbless reptiles, a group-level overview.
Anaconda
Green anaconda — a giant, non-venomous constrictor.
Turtle
Order Testudines — shelled reptiles of land and water.
Sea Turtle
Ocean-going reptiles (also in Marine Animals).
Chameleon
Colour-changing lizards; panther chameleon as a reference.
Iguana
Large lizards; green iguana as a reference.
Gecko
Climbing lizards; leopard gecko as a reference.
Monitor Lizard
Genus Varanus; Nile monitor as a reference.
Komodo Dragon
The largest living lizard, native to Indonesia.
Amphibians
Moist-skinned vertebrates that usually breed in water — frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. Wild amphibians have sensitive skin and should not be handled.
About This Section
Profiles cover classification, geographic range, habitat, diet, behaviour, and conservation context, with conservation status drawn from sources such as the IUCN Red List where available. The distinction between wild ecology and any captive context is clearly noted, and these pages do not provide care, handling, or veterinary advice. Amphibians worldwide face serious declines, so conservation status should always be checked against current sources.