Taking wild reptiles and amphibians to sell as food or pets is a serious problem for wild populations. In many places, whole populations have been collected until nothing was left. Sometimes a few animals remain, but not enough breeding adults for the numbers to ever come back. Biologists keep saying these animals cannot survive unlimited collecting, but passing laws to protect them is a political fight, and the animals often lose to the people making money from them. In nature, a population that takes losses usually recovers, climbing back to what the habitat can support.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
