CR

Eremias pleskei

Declining

Overview

Eremias pleskei, commonly known as Pleske's racerunner or the trans-Caucasian racerunner, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to the Armenian plateau in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey.

Eremias pleskei faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in the Caucasus region. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while overgrazing by livestock has degraded the sandy and rocky habitats essential for its survival. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the arid steppe conditions this specialized lizard requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Eremias pleskei inhabits arid sandy and rocky steppes, semi-desert areas, and sparse scrubland in the Caucasus region. The species requires well-drained soils with scattered vegetation cover, typically found in areas with low rainfall and high summer temperatures.

Rocky areas· majorDesert· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Eremias pleskei classified as Critically Endangered?
Eremias pleskei is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Eremias pleskei faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in the Caucasus region. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while overgrazing by livestock has degraded the sandy and rocky habitats essential for its survival. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the arid steppe conditions this specialized lizard requires.
Where does Eremias pleskei live?
Eremias pleskei occurs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Türkiye. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Eremias pleskei?
The main threats to Eremias pleskei are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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