A Study of Reptiles Fauna of the Saadi Protected Area in Kerman Province

Protected areas are one of the most important and effective tools in the world to preserve biodiversity. Faunal studies and subsequent adoption of species conservation measures are priorities for biodiversity conservation. Considering that 16 areas in Kerman province have been registered in the form of four areas of the Environmental Protection Organization, the study of reptile fauna in many of these areas has not been done yet. Thus, the reptile fauna of the Saadi protected area was identified during 2015 and 2016. The results of the study showed that 15 species of reptiles including nine species of lizards from five families of Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Sphaerodactylidae, and Varanidae, five species of snakes from three families of Colubridae, Lamprophiidae, and Varanidae, and one species of tortoise from the family of Testudinidae live in the Saadi protected area. Among lizards, the Gekkota lineage has a higher species diversity while Laudakia nupta fusca has the highest relative abundance and the widest range of distribution among reptiles in the region. Among the snakes of the region, the family Colubridae has the highest species diversity and Pseudocerastes persicus from the family Viperidae has the highest relative abundance. The presence of Testudo graeca as a vulnerable species, Varanus griseus in Appendix I (CITES) and the endemic species, Agamura kermanensis and Microgecko latifii in the region have been added to its conservation values. Consecutive droughts, orchard development, overgrazing, mining, road accidents, and misconceptions about reptiles are threatening reptiles in the area.