Echis carinatus
Isolation has helped maintain several endemic life forms on Astola. The endangered green turtle ("Chelonia mydas") and the hawksbill turtle ("Eretmochelys imbracata") nest on the beach at the foot of the cliffs. The island is also an important area for endemic reptiles such as the Astola viper ("Echis carinatus astolae"). The island is reported to support a large number of breeding water birds including coursers, curlews, godwit, gulls, plovers and sanderling. Feral cats originally introduced by fishermen to control the endemic rodent population, pose an increasing threat to wildlife breeding sites. E.g. the sooty gull ("Larus hemprichii") had a major breeding colony on the island, now extirpated because of introduced rats.