The world has millions of terrifying and marvelous animals and some of them are not very known. We all know about cats and dogs, but have you ever heard of the basilisk lizard?
The basilisk lizard (also known as the Jesus lizard) is an incredible animal that has developed the ability to run on water. They have specialized scales on their toes that can help them, but it is the mixture of their speed and the scales that gives them the ability to traverse the waves.
A captive Basilisk can live up to 9 years, but most don’t live that long. In the wild, males live up to 4 years while females live up to 6. They can lay up to 18 eggs. Females have a lower success rate than males at hatching.
They like to spend their time foraging, basking, and resting. They only need to run when in danger or chasing food so they rest most of the day. At night they climb trees and perch at a branch 20m (65ft) up.
The basilisk can be found in Central America where there is plenty of water, like lakes or ponds. They are omnivorous so they eat small birds, fruits, insects, and much more. Basilisk lizards are a unique and interesting animal that deserves to be known more about.
To learn about the Basilisk Lizard for yourself, go to https://animalia.bio/common-basilisk and https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Basiliscus_basiliscus/.
