See stunning photos of the most endangered reptiles and amphibians

A frog that doesn’t croak, a snake that can change the colour of its scales and the largest lizards on the planets are just a handful of endangered species that are battling against extinction.

And thanks to the help of zoos across Ireland and the UK, they’re not the only ones.

Here are a list of the top ten reptiles and amphibians that are facing drastic decline and are most reliant on the conservation efforts of the zoos and aquariums nationwide.

1. Mountain chicken

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

This amphibian is one of the world’s largest frogs and, supposedly, its meat tastes like chicken (hence the name!).

2. Golden Mantella

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

Unlike most of the frog family, these endangered amphibians don’t croak, they click instead. These bright yellow frogs are known to attempt eat anything that’ll fit in their mouth, even if it tastes repulsive.

3. Sand lizard

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These reptiles are native to Britain and are our only egg-laying lizards.

4. Komodo dragon

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These reptiles are the largest living lizards left in the world, with the males growing up to three metres in length. Despite females being able to reproduce solo if necessary, there are no more than 1,000 Komodos left in the wild.

5. Lemur leaf frog

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These tiny amphibians can fit on your fingertips and are only about three to four centimetres long. They transition from a greenish-yellow during the day to a reddish-brown at night to camoflauge them when they are looking for food.

6. Morelet’s leaf frog

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These striking frogs have a distinct pink or orange underbelly and jet black eyes as well as wide webbing between their toes which, incredibly, allows them to parachute between trees.

7. Orange-tailed skink

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These beautifully coloured skinks were only discovered on Mauritian islands nine years ago and would be extinct by now, if it weren’t for the help of zoos.

8. Axolotl

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

This amphibian has been threatened by predators as well as humans – roasted axolotl is a delicacy in its native Mexico. These salamanders also have the extraordinary ability to regenerate body limbs.

9. Ploughshare tortoise

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These tortoises are one of the most sought-after and rarest reptiles in the illegal pet trade and can live up to 100 years.

10. Round Island boa

(The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)

These rare reptiles can grow up to 1.5 metres and although their skin is a murky brown, these snakes are one of the very few that can actually change colour.