• Interesting Facts about Amphibians (3)
• Interesting Facts about Birds (22)
• Interesting Facts about Fishes (9)
• Interesting Facts about Mammals (48)
• Interesting Facts about Reptiles (16)

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Gecko

DESCRIPTION: Greenish gray lizard with gray andorange-brown spots covering body; body is slender with a large head; eyes areprominent in all species; broad fleshy toes with inner folds FUN FACTS: Nearly all geckos have a voice, rangingfrom a small squeak to the deafening whistles of the African whistling gecko. The gecko sticks its eggs to walls orrocks near cracks or holes. More than one female may use the same 'nest'. Theeggs are soft-shelled at first with a very sticky surface. They harden soonafter they are laid. Tokays have padded toes with stickingpower, which has long been the obsession of scientists. However, knowing whatresearch has found, it's not surprising. Each of its four feet has five toes.Each toe has fine hairs 1/10 mm long, packed at 5,000 hairs per sq mm. Each hair has 400-1,000 branches that end in aspatula-like structure about 1/50,000 inch long. Each hair is strong enough tosupport an ant's weight. One million hairs can support a small child! Tokay Geckoes are solitary creatures,only encountering the opposite sex during the breeding season. They areterritorial and will defend their space against intruders of the same speciesand of other species, ensuring less competition for food. These geckoes can inflict severe bitesif they are sufficiently threatened. Their nose is used for breathing andalso for detecting scents. A large number of sensory cells on a membrane in thenostrils and the Jacobson's organ help tokays to hunt. Their tongue is used tocarry scent particles to the holes in their palate. These particles are thentransported to the Jacobson's organ, which tells their brain about theenvironment (smell and taste). They have folds of skin that preventthem from casting a shadow while resting on a tree. By opening up the skin foldcompletely, it allows them to blend in with the tree bark. Another important feature of the tokayis its ability to cast off its tail in defense and later regenerate a new one.The cast off part will continue to move for several minutes, giving the geckotime to escape. It takes approximately three weeks for these geckoes tocompletely regenerate a new tail although it is usually never as long as theoriginal tail. Inparts of Southeast Asia, tokays are regardedas bringers of luck, good fortune, and fertility.

Gharial

DESCRIPTION: Crocodile-like in appearance with adistinguishing long, narrow snout and up to 110 razor-sharp interlocking teeth. SIZE: Males range between 5 to 6.5 m. Females are smaller,ranging between 3.5 to 4 m WEIGHT: Adults weigh between 159 to 181 kg FUN FACTS: Gharials have between 106 and 110interlocking, razor-sharp teeth, which help them catch slippery fish. The long,narrow snouts of gharials have low resistance, increasing their speed throughwater. Salt-excreting glands on the tongues ofgharials help them tolerate saline (salty) environments. Of all crocodilian species, gharialshave the largest eggs, weighing about 160 g each. Gharial eggs are temperature-dependent,meaning the gender of the hatchlings is dependent upon the temperature in whichthey are incubated. In general, males are produced with warm temperatures andfemales with cool temperatures. Hatchlings weigh 75 to 130 g and measure 32.5 to39.2 cm. Unlike most crocodilians, femalegharials are unable to assist their hatchlings to water due to their unique jawstructure. However, they do protect their young around the nesting area forseveral weeks after hatching. Adult male gharials have a roundedgrowth on the tip of their snouts, called a ghara. It enhances vocalcommunication by acting as a resonator that prdouces a loud buzzing call. Theghara is also a visual stimulus for females during the breeding season andhelps with the production of bubbles during courtship displays. Males begin todevelop their gharas around 10 years of age. Like all reptiles, gharials areectothermic, depending on external heat sources to regulate their bodytemperature. Very agile in aquatic environments,gharials have flattened, muscular tails and webbed feet that help propel themthrough water. Gharials frequently bask in the sun toincrease their body temperature, resulting in better mobility and digestion. Gharialshave a structure at the back of the eye, behind the retina, called the tapetumlucidum, which enhances their night vision. This mirror-like structure reflectslight (that has not already been absorbed by the eye) back into the eye asecond time to help produce a brighter image. The tapetum lucidum causes theireyes to glow at night, when a light is shone on them.

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