It is likely that many more novelties await discovery and that the real species number for South Africa will easily exceed the number recorded in books. In total, 370 reptiles and amphibians occur in the region, of which 21 are threatened. Six of these are endangered. This richness in reptiles is greater than that of the entire USA and is a largely unappreciated and undervalued part of South Africa’s natural heritage. CBGES, believes that our reptiles are amongst the most beautiful and phenomenal species in the world.

Over the last decade, herpetology has become a focus at several universities in South Africa, CBGES has offered educational talks to schools and constantly sending information to the schools about the information about South African species. Herpetology has had a surge in international collaborations in reptile research, Southern Africa illustrates that the region’s herpetological richness is becoming more widely recognized and appreciated.

The most recent red data book evaluating the conservation status of South Africa’s reptiles was published more than 19 years ago. It is now largely obsolete, and does not comply with the latest internationally accepted IUCN (The World Conservation Union) criteria for the red listing of threatened species. CBGES has realised this information and has been trying to create IUCN standards, yet has been unsuccessful with all the restrictions imposed on conservationists like CBGES from the South African Herpetology sector.

New and exciting developments are on the horizon which CBGES is busy implementing in order to achieve a new South Africa where our wildlife and endangered wildlife can be researched, bred through breeding programs and with the help of the South African Herpetology sector, be re-introduced back into the environment.

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