Federally Threatened and Endangered Reptiles and Amphibians found in Georgia
| Listed Reptiles and Amphibians | Georgia Range | Habitat | Threats |
| Threatened Species - likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future | |||
| Loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta 2008 Recovery Plan
|
Coast MAP |
Nests on Georgia's barrier island beaches. Forages in warm ocean waters and river mouth channels worldwide. | Loss of nesting beaches due to human encroachment, high natural predation, drownings when turtles trapped in fishing and shrimping trawls, and marine pollution 5 Year Review - 2007 |
Green sea turtle 1991 Recovery Plan (for Atlantic populations) |
Coast MAP |
Rarely nests in Georgia. Generally found in fairly shallow waters (except when migrating) inside reefs, bays and inlets. North American distribution is from Massachusetts to Mexico and from British Columbia to Baja California. | Exploitation for food, high levels of predation, loss of nesting habitat due to human encroachment, hatchling disorientation due to artificial lights on beaches, and drownings when trapped in fishing and shrimping nets 5 Year Review - 2007 |
| Frosted Flatwoods salamander Ambystoma cingulatum  Photo: John Jensen |
Coastal Plain |
Breeding habitat are isolated pond cypress dominated depressions often with a smaller component of blackgum or slash pine. These ponds are isolated within pine forests. Suitable wetlands have a marsh-like appearance with sedges and grasses growing throughout and other herbaceous species in the shallow water edges. A relatively open canopy resulting from seasonal prescribed burns is necessary to maintain appropriate vegetation, which serves as cover for salamander larvae and their aquatic invertebrate prey. | Habitat destruction, deterioration, and fragmentation. |
| Eastern indigo snake Drymarchon corais couperi  |
South Georgia MAP |
During winter, den in zeric sandridge habitat preferred by gopher tortoises; during warm months, forage in creek bottoms, upland forests, and agricultural fields | Habitat loss due to uses such as farming, construction, forestry, and pasture and to overcollecting for the pet trade 5 Year Review - 2007 |
| Endangered Species - A species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. | |||
| Reticulated Flatwoods salamander Ambystoma bishopi Photo: John Jensen |
Coastal Plain |
Breeding habitat are isolated pond cypress dominated depressions often with a smaller component of blackgum or slash pine. These ponds are isolated within pine forests. Suitable wetlands have a marsh-like appearance with sedges and grasses growing throughout and other herbaceous species in the shallow water edges. A relatively open canopy resulting from seasonal prescribed burns is necessary to maintain appropriate vegetation, which serves as cover for salamander larvae and their aquatic invertebrate prey. | Habitat destruction, deterioration, and fragmentation. |
Leatherback sea turtle 1992 Recovery Plan (for U.S. Caribbean, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico) |
Coast MAP |
Rarely nests in Georgia. Visits often coincide with periodic abundance of cannonball jellyfish. Distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Most pelagic of the sea turtles. | Human exploitation, beach development, high predation on hatchlings, and drowning when caught in nets of commercial shrimp and fish trawls and longline and driftnet fisheries 5 Year Review - 2007 |
Hawksbill sea turtle 1993 Recovery Plan (for U.S. Caribbean, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico) |
Coast MAP |
Migrates through Georgia's coastal waters. Frequents rocky areas, reefs, shallow coastal areas, lagoons, and narrow creeks and passes. Distribution is in tropical and subtropical seas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans | Primary causes of population decline are development and modification of nesting beaches and exploitation for the shell. Secondary causes include egg consumption, use of the skin for leather, and heavy predation of eggs and hatchlings. 5 Year Review - 2007 |
Kemp's ridley sea turtle | Coast MAP |
Outside of nesting season primarily found in the nearshore and inshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico, although immatures have been observed along the Atlantic as far north as Massachusetts. Next off Tamaulipas, Mexico. | Overharvesting of eggs and adults for food and skins and drowning when caught in shrimp nets 5 Year Review - 2007 |
Other listed species' recovery plans are available here.
Recovery Plans on these pages are available as .PDF files. PDF files can be downloaded and read using free Adobe Acrobat Reader 
The list does not include the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), which is threatened due to similarity of appearance to other Federally listed species.
In addition, the state of Georgia has a list of 471 animal "species of concern".
