Chapter 3 North Carolina Species
some of the concerns in the state. Recommendations for priority survey, monitoring, and research studies, conservation actions, and partnerships are outlined in Section 3.8.8.
3.8.3 Conservation Concerns Table 3-7 (Appendix 3) provides a list of Reptile SGCN and other priority species. River basin and habitat associations for these species are provided in Appendix 3 Table 3-17 (terrestrial species) and Table 3-18 (aquatic species). Habitat descriptions and associated conservation priorities are located in Chapter 4 Habitats. The conservation concerns for reptiles are many and are summed up well by Gibbons et al. (2000) . This paper notes that although amphibians are often thought of as much more imperiled, reptiles are also experiencing drastic declines worldwide and face numerous threats to their conservation status. Some of the major concerns that may affect the abundance or distribution of reptile species include habitat loss and alteration, poor habitat management (e.g., lack of appropriate fire regimes), environmental pollution, persecution and killing, unsustainable use, emerging diseases, and invasive species. Most of the reptiles in North Carolina are affected by not one, but many issues related to their habitats. Sea turtles are species that have experienced declines because of a multitude of threats. For example, sea turtles are threatened when they come ashore for beach nesting (i.e., egg predation, saltwater inundation of nests, human intrusion) and once they are in the ocean (i.e., fishing nets, plastics, predation). Some turtle species have experienced high levels of collection from the wild, an activity that is unsustainable for most species. Climate change may be another issue that affects the status of reptiles, though this has been relatively understudied. Additional threats faced by reptiles include road mortality and the invasion of nonnative plants and animals, such as Fire Ants. Many species of reptiles have been heavily affected by the loss of habitat throughout North Carolina. Large snakes and those species that are associated with very specific habitat types likely have been most affected by habitat loss and fragmentation. Bog turtles have been severely impacted by the destruction of mountain bogs and the absence of proper management in the remaining ones. Conservation recommendations for the habitats associated with reptiles have been incorporated into the natural community descriptions in Chapter 4 Habitats. • Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes have been affected by numerous factors, now limiting them to only a small population in the Coastal Plain. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are listed as state endangered in North Carolina. This species was once widespread across much of the Coastal Plain, but its populations have since been greatly diminished. Historically, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes were found in 13 counties, but since 2005, detections have come from only three counties, with all but three
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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