Conservation concerns bout the southernmost lizards of the world

Abstract

Lizard populations are globally in decline due to several human-related threats, and the Patagonia region is not an exception to this problem. With more than 160 species, Patagonian lizards encompass a high percentage of the lizard diversity from South America. Among them, at least one-third are currently listed with some IUCN Red List threat category. These species are affected by several threats, among which some of the most harmful ones are related to energy production, mining, and agriculture. Among threatened species, the six most endangered are Liolaemus confusus, Liolaemus curis, Liolaemus cuyumhue, Liolaemus hermannunezi, Liolaemus rabinoi, and Phymaturus vociferator. These species deserve special attention, thus the areas where these lizards occur should be protected. However, in order to protect a higher number of species in the wild, alternative approaches should be undertaken to prioritize conservation areas, considering other sources of information including local politics, opportunities, social context, land availability, degree of habitat disturbance, and lizard biodiversity, among others. In this challenging scenario, the conservation of Patagonian lizards will require not only committed people, but also further research, adaptive management, sustainable development, and even citizen activism to promote a change in governmental decisions.