For some, lizards are intriguing creatures with the superpower of regeneration. For others, they are scary-looking reptiles that are nothing but trouble. But one thing is for sure, they are fascinating animals. These facts about lizards prove that.
Lizards Live on Every Continent Except Antarctica
If you want to run away to a place where there are no lizards, you will need to go to Antarctica. This is because they live in every other part of the world.
Only One Lizard Species Can Swim
Lizards don’t like the water very much because they can’t swim. The only lizard that has this ability is the marine iguana, which is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and gets most of its food from sea algae. One additional exception could be a common basilisk, which can’t swim but has the ability to run on water.
Lizards Can Detach Their Tail on Purpose
We know that lizards can regenerate their tail. But did you know that they can detach it on purpose as well? This is one of the defensive tactics that lizards use when encountering a predator.
Lizards Live Anywhere From 5 to 50 Years
Lizards in the wild live around five years on average. However, their lifespan substantially increases when they are in captivity and provided with ideal conditions. Gecko is known to live up to 20 years in captivity, while some specimens have been observed to live even 50 years.