Reptiles and Amphibians of 
Kiawah and Capers Islands, South Carolina 
J. Whitfield Gibbons 
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, 
Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29801 
AND 
Julian R. Harrison, III 
Department of Biology, 
College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29401 
ABSTRACT. — We obtained information on abundance, species com- 
position, distribution among habitats, and general ecology of the rep- 
tiles and amphibians of two South Carolina barrier islands, Kiawah and 
Capers. The herpetofauna of the islands is greatly reduced compared 
with that of the adjacent mainland. Kiawah Island has 16% of the 
mainland’s amphibian species and 43% of the reptile species; Capers 
Island has only 10% of the amphibian species and 21% of the reptiles. 
All herpetofaunal species found on Capers occur on Kiawah. The rela- 
tionship between island size and species numbers on each island is sim- 
ilar to that reported for other Atlantic Coast barrier islands. Recom- 
mendations are given for minimizing the environmental impacts on 
reptiles and amphibians in future recreational development of these or 
any barrier islands. 
INTRODUCTION 
Many coastal islands of the Carolinas and Georgia are being developed 
for recreational and other purposes. The potential environmental impact 
of such endeavors is great and has generated concern for how these 
activities affect certain elements of the fauna and flora. The objective of 
our studies was to obtain information on abundance, distribution, species 
composition, and general ecology of the reptiles and amphibians of two 
barrier islands along the South Carolina coast. Our purpose was to reveal 
the environmental alterations that must be considered if the impact of 
development on the herpetofaunal populations is to be minimized. 
Field studies were conducted on Kiawah and Capers islands during 
spring and summer of 1978 and 1979. These studies complemented earlier 
herpetological research on Capers Island during summer and fall of 1975 
and on Kiawah Island from spring of 1974 through fall of 1975 (Gibbons 
and Coker 1978). 
Barrier Islands 
Barrier islands occur along 10 to 13 percent of the coastlines of the 
world (Cromwell 1971). In the United States they margin the entire 
Atlantic coast from Florida to Canada, and the northern Gulf of Mexico. 
Brimleyana No. 5:145-162. July 1981. 
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