Florida supports a diverse assemblage of approximately 89 native reptiles, including 11 federally listed and 9 state listed species. Turtles, snakes, lizards, and the state’s famed crocodilians are included in this mix. Florida’s warm, ectotherm-friendly climate has allowed an exceptional number of nonnative reptiles, popular in the exotic pet trade, to thrive as well.

The state’s population of native reptiles includes a large number of subspecies and species endemic to a very small range. Limited distribution makes these animals highly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation, especially in coastal areas where wildlife risk becoming trapped between patches of habitat inundated by sea level rise and habitat threatened by development.

Imbalanced sex ratios are another climate-related threat expected to impact reptiles. Many reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination, with embryos generally becoming female above a certain incubation temperature threshold. Substantially warmer temperatures over time could lead to imbalanced sex ratios in some species.