Conservation Status Symbols

I sat ever so quietly this morning, under the canopy of Live Oak draped with Spanish moss-a protected spot inside the Indian River Preserve Park. Mourning Doves cooed, an Osprey soared overhead and then two tiny lizards scurried back and forth across a dried palm frond at my feet. We watched each other inquisitively.
While my field note was happily intended to describe these 5 inch female Florida scrub lizards (the male is adorned with bright turquoise patches on throat and belly) and how they may very well soon be guarding several clutches of tiny eggs after their spring courtship and mating season…..

There was a change in thought:

The Florida scrub lizard is “near threatened” (NT) which means the species is likely to become “endangered” (EN) in the near future.

And then in time we might have to tag another (EN) to the lizard’s favorite scrub areas which provide dry and sandy ridges of pine and oak, because this habitat is speedily declining with intense development and wildfire suppression.

I read again the color coded indicator, like a mileage key on a map- this is only a hop, skip and a jump away from high risk of “extinction” (EX) for these lizards in the wild!

“Status Symbols” ranging from somewhat safe green to alarming red and depressing black are defining nature in our life time…..

And while different factors such as species population rise and fall, breeding success as well as threats are all considered when assessing conservation status, for me simply the development of such an indicator (in the first place!) that is now so common for every species of flora and fauna?

I can see there must be a change.