October 21, observe National Reptile Awareness Day, created to promote education, conservation, and appreciation for reptiles. It is a day to learn about their natural habitats and the ecological threats that they are facing. A reptile is any amniote that is neither a mammal nor a bird, is cold-blooded, has scales or scutes and can lay eggs on land. Scutes are the thick bony or horny plates which form the dermal layer.