A male Selmunett lizard, now thought to be extinct. Photo by: Arnold Sciberras

By Jeremy Hance, www.mongabay.com
June 29, 2010 The Selmunett lizard (Podarcis filfolensis ssp. Kieselbachi) is very likely extinct, according to Maltese naturalist Arnold Sciberras. One of four subspecies of the Maltese wall lizard, the Selmunett lizard was last seen in 2005. Although the lizard’s home—Selmunett Island—has long been uninhabited by people, that fact did not help save the lizard. Over-predation by introduced rats is thought to be the primary cause of lizard’s extinction. A number of surveys have failed to turn up the lizard and its extinction published, yet the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) still considers the subspecies as surviving, according to MaltaToday. “MEPA doesn’t want to acknowledge that its conservation attempts have failed in some cases,” Sciberras told the local news organization. …

Photos: rats drive island lizard to extinction