Western Spadefoot

Scientists support listing this species and dozens like it, as endangered.

Photo By: James Bettaso / USFWS

A coalition of more than 200 scientists have written the federal government in support of the Center for Biological Diversity's petition to list 53 species of turtles, snakes, toads, frogs, lizards, salamanders and other reptiles and amphibians for protection under the Endangered Species Act.

It's the largest such petition of its kind, and includes the Western Spadefoot, pictured here. Once common in California's central valley, it may occupy as little as 20% of its historic range, thanks to agricultural and residential development.

"Although amphibians and reptiles have been around for hundreds of millions of years and survived every major extinction period, now, due largely to human impacts, they’re dying off at up to 10,000 times the historic extinction rate," according to the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit advocacy group.

> Related: Recently Extinct Animals (Photos)

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