An overview of the threatened herpetofauna of South Asia
The South Asian region can be considered a herpetofaunal "hotspot" with its high degree of species richness and diversity of amphibian and reptilian fauna. Unfortunately, high population density and population growth are putting enormous pressure on the region's natural resources and ecosystems, and as a result five amphibian species and 31 reptilian species from this region are listed as globally threatened in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.