When most people see scaly animals, they start in fear and are overcome by apprehension and the desire to retreat.  But reptiles are an integral part of ecosystems and food chains.  When they become endangered, human discomfort is imminent.  Some parts of the world have seen the numbers of important species slip in recent years due to the introduction of non-native species.

Many of the older species of reptiles are also important to research on the origins and functions of life on earth.  Reptiles have been resilient through the ages, but many of them face extinction today due to human carelessness.  Reptiles can help us understand the environment, and biomimicry has lead to technological advancements that help us live more comfortable or more efficiently. They are our link to prehistory, and the more scientists study them, the more they are able to learn about a time that has captured the imagination of humans since the beginning of time.

Sources: Discovery and Wikipedia.

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