Page 16 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

16 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

We are all shaped by our environment. However, in the they are still good climbers). Instead, their feet are designed
sand dunes of south-west Africa there is a species of gecko to spread their weight so that they don’t sink into the
that has evolved some very unusual characteristics to cope sand.Their webbed feet also have an handy, extra ‘feature’.
with desert living. They contain small cartilages – stiff connecting tissues –
Geckos are found in warm, tropical regions. In Africa that support a complex system of muscles.These allow the
alone, there are approximately 41 species.Around eight are geckos’ feet to make highly coordinated movements. So, to
found in the area of the Namib–Naukluft National Park, escape the baking heat of the midday sun, they simply chill
part of the Namib Desert, which is thought to be the out in burrows that they’ve specially dug for the purpose.
world’s oldest desert. Many of these are arboreal species Their foot design makes them superb tunnellers, and these
and have famously bristly feet, which enable them to burrows can be up to 50cm (19.7in) long.
‘stick’ to almost any surface.As their name suggests, Our web-footed friends also have several other physical
though, Namib web-footed geckos have their own special adaptations that make them real desert specialists. Most
adaptation to survive in the desert sands. geckos, especially the stunningly vibrant day geckos (genus
Unlike their tree-dwelling cousins, web-footed geckos Phelsuma), are extremely colourful and, ironically, this helps
don’t need to be able to cling to vertical surfaces (although them to blend in with the rich colours of the rainforest. In

Caught in the open, this web-footed gecko adopts a defensive Undeterred, the hungry hyena makes a grab for the little
posture, emitting loud clicks and croaks to intimidate the lizard, only to be left with a tail-end titbit: the gecko has
approaching predator. dropped its tail in self-defence.

All geckos have the capacity to detach their tails and, for this While the hyena munches down the detached tail, the gecko
gecko, it turns out to be a life-saving ability. survives to live another day – and grow another tail!

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.