Heat is driving lizards to extinction driving

May 14th, 2010 - 7:23 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

heat Santa Cruz, May 14 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Researchers say the recent increase in temperature is responsible for driving lizards to extinction. This particular study involved more than twenty scientists from all over the world to find out why the European Lizards were dying. Scientists first identified the decrease in the population of the European Lizards to near extinction, a few years ago. At the time of discovery, it was unclear what was killing the lizards, though global warming was suspected, disease and loss of habitat to human industrialization were also considered.

All these findings were published in ‘Science’ journal and the article painted a very gloomy picture for the future of the lizards. It says nearly 40 percent of all lizard population will be lost in five continents and as much as 20 percent of all lizard species would be extinct by 2080. And if that happens, then scientists fear the repercussions on the ecosystem’s food chain would be devastating as the lizard is a source of food to many birds and snakes.

The findings of the scientists revealed that the lizard’s reproductive rate has declined drastically due to the heat. The heat prevents the lizards from reproducing to cope with the rate they are dying.

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