Nazia Mahmood

Bioecology and Status of Lizards of Karachi: Current Status of Lizards of Karachi with Special Reference to Diurnal Periodicity Nazia Mahmood

According to IUCN (2009), there are now 1,677 reptiles species have been included on the IUCN Red List, with 293 added in 2009. In total, 469 are threatened with extinction and 22 are already Extinct or Extinct in the wild. The present studies included the bioecology and current status of diurnal lizards of Karachi (East, South and Malir districts). The investigation was carried out on the physical characteristics of the three districts and its flora and lizard fauna. In Pakistan some lizard species are threatened, present studies also recorded that Uromastix hardwickii (Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard) and Varanus bengalensis (Indian Monitor Lizard) as threatened species in the three districts of Karachi. On the basis of present work it is concluded that the permanent habitat alteration, destruction of habitat, use of indiscriminate toxic material like pesticides and increase of human population in Karachi, the Brilliant Agama (Agama agilis isolepis) was not found, Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard (Uromastix hardwickii) and Indian Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) are declined and recorded as threatened species.