Benefits of Reptiles

The removal of one species can have a massive negative impact on an ecosystem. This has been seen in many different ecosystems.

Removing reptiles takes away predators and prey from many different species in the organism. Please look at the model below for an example.

For example, in this food web removing lizards would negatively affect the ecosystem because:

  • The bird and butterfly population would increase due to not having a predator.
  • The wolf and mountain lion population would likely decrease due to having a lack of food.
  • The rabbit population would decrease because it the wolves and mountain lions would need to compensate for losing on of their food sources.
  • Since there are now less rabbits, the butterfly population increses even more because it lost another predator.
  • The increases population of butterflies eats more plants than before, and may limit food for other herbivores.

Snakes are important to ecosystems because they keep prey populations like mice in check and provide food to predators like hawks. In addition, while not all snakes burrow and often live in burrows of other animals, some snakes create burrows and may provide burrows for other organisms one the burrows are not in use by the snake anymore.

Benefits of Reptile Education and Awareness

Reptile education helps to teach people about the benefits of reptiles and what can be done to help them. It also can inform the public on what is hurting reptiles. This can help by getting people to appreicate reptiles and their positive impact, and start taking measures to stop harming them. This helps the environment.

Reptile education helps to inform people what to do when they see a reptile. If a person is taught how to identify dangerous reptiles in their area and what to do when they encounter one, there is a much less chance that they will be harmed by this reptile and instead we can admire the dangerous reptiles' beauty from a distance.

There are many records and scientific discoveries as a result of reptiles. They can help us learn about evolution. In addition many adaptations of reptiles inspire inventions. Some snake venom is even being used to produce medicine.

Benefits of Reptiles Around Your House

Common reptiles like lizards and garter snakes can help with pest control by eating bugs in your backyard. This can also help you if you are trying to grow a garden.

Many snakes including rat snakes can eat the rats in your yard and reduce the amount of rats in your property.

As discussed above, reptiles benefit the ecosystem they live in, and this includes the one outside your house.

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