Basilisks are tropical lizards famous for an extraordinary escape strategy: they can run across the surface of water. This ability has earned them the nickname “Jesus Christ lizard,” but their lives are about much more than this remarkable 15 foot sprint. Where basilisks live Common basilisks are found from parts of Central America to northern South America. They usually live in lowland forests close to streams, rivers, and other waterways. Streamside vegetation gives them pl

The ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora), also called the angonoka, is a highly threatened tortoise found only in a small part of northwestern Madagascar. Its golden shell and unusual projecting gular scute make it unmistakable, but those same features have made it a target for illegal collectors. A tortoise found in one small region The species is associated with dry forest, bamboo scrub, and grassland around Baly Bay in northwestern Madagascar. It's extremely restric

The blue tree monitor (Varanus macraei) is one of the world's most striking monitor lizards. Its electric-blue markings, dark body, and long prehensile tail help it stand out—but they also make it highly desirable in the wildlife trade. A rare island specialist Blue tree monitors are native to Batanta Island in Indonesia's Raja Ampat region. They are arboreal animals associated with humid tropical forests, where their gripping feet and extremely flexible tail help them move t

Crocodile monitors (Varanus salvadorii), also called Salvadori's monitors, are among New Guinea's most remarkable reptiles. Built for life in the forest canopy, they combine a long body, a powerful prehensile tail, strong claws, and sharp teeth. A highly specialized tree-dweller Crocodile monitors are associated with the lowland forests and wet tropical habitats of New Guinea. Their long tails help with balance as they move through branches, while their claws provide grip on

With its armor of spikes, sandy colors, and curious false head, the thorny devil looks like a tiny dragon. But this Australian lizard is not a monster—it is a highly specialized desert survivor. A specialist of the Australian desert The thorny devil (Moloch horridus) lives in arid and semi-arid parts of Australia, where open spinifex country and scrub provide the thorny devil with the habitat it needs. Its camouflage helps it blend into the landscape, and its slow, deliberate