France biodiversity: Amphibians and reptiles face increasing threats

A new national red list from the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle indicates a significant decline in amphibian and reptile populations in France. The report reveals that nearly one in five amphibians and one in four reptiles are currently threatened, with populations of two-thirds of the species in decline.

Key drivers for this decline include habitat fragmentation due to urbanization, pesticide use, road traffic, invasive species, and climate change. The loss of these species poses a risk to ecosystem stability, as they play a vital role in regulating insect populations and serving as a food source for predators.

In addition to these conservation concerns, biological studies by INRAE highlight the specialized survival mechanisms of reptiles, such as snakes, during the winter. As ectotherms, species like the grass snake and asp viper enter a state of deep lethargy to survive cold temperatures, relying entirely on fat reserves from the summer months.