These rare Florida reptiles just made the endangered species list

Final rule for snake species set to take effect on Aug. 20

Published: July 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. – Three rare reptiles in Florida are being added to the list of endangered species under federal law, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

In a pair of releases issued on Monday, FWS officials identified the three species as follows:

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Florida Keys mole skink

The Florida Keys mole skink is considered one of the state’s rarest reptiles, found only in Monroe County.

This small, secretive lizard spends much of its life underground and has been documented since 2000 on only 15 islands in the Keys. Roughly 70% of individuals have been documented on Big Pine Key in particular.

However, this skink is now considered at greater risk of extinction than previously understood.

While the FWS said it initially proposed listing the subspecies as threatened, additional public input and further analysis helped the agency conclude that the endangered status was warranted.

Florida Keys mole skink (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

Key ring-necked snake and Rim rock crowned snake

These are small, nonvenomous snakes that live in limestone outcroppings within pine rocklands and rockland hammocks — which are ecosystems found only in South Florida and the Bahamas.

The ring-necked snake can only be found in the Florida Keys, and the rim rock crowned snake is found in both Miami-Dade County and parts of the Keys.

The Key ring-necked snake is small, 6- to 10-inches long as an adult, with a grayish-black back, bright yellow and red underside and an indistinct or absent neck ring. It is only found on the seven lower Florida Keys. (Keith Enge/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

To qualify as an endangered species, an animal must be in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

According to the agency, all three species have limited distributions, which makes them “especially vulnerable to environmental change.”

The “endangered” designation means agencies must ensure actions they authorize, fund or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the species. The Endangered Species Act further prohibits any people from killing, harming or capturing these species.

“Florida’s extraordinary wildlife and habitats are found nowhere else in the world, and protecting them takes strong partnerships and sound science,” said FWS Southeast Regional Director Mike Oetker. “This listing reflects our commitment to working with landowners, tribes, state and local agencies, and other partners to conserve these species and the ecosystems they depend on, ensuring they remain part of Florida’s natural heritage for future generations.”

Per federal officials, the snake rule is set to take effect on Aug. 20.