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Skinks Found Only in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Threatened by
Introduced Predators, Habitat Destruction
In response to a 2014 petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service todayannounced that seven species of Caribbean skinks may qualify for Endangered Species Act protection. These rare lizards from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are on the knife’s edge of extinction due to introduced predators and habitat destruction.
“The Endangered Species Act can save these skinks,” said Collette Adkins, a Center biologist and lawyer who works to protect reptiles and amphibians. “We can best deal with the habitat loss and invasive predators that threaten to wipe out these skinks by getting them protected under the Act. This announcement means they’re one step closer to getting the protections they need.”