Reptile

Enter the world of reptiles — ancient, armoured, and endlessly fascinating.

Reptiles have been around for over 300 million years and were the first vertebrates to fully adapt to life on land. Their waterproof, scaly skin was a game-changer, freeing them from the water-dependency of amphibians. Today's reptiles range from the massive saltwater crocodile — an apex predator virtually unchanged since the age of dinosaurs — to tiny geckos that can walk on ceilings using microscopic hair-like structures on their feet. Chameleons shoot their tongues at twice the acceleration of a fighter jet, sea turtles navigate oceans using Earth's magnetic field, and some snakes can sense the body heat of prey in complete darkness using infrared-detecting pit organs.

WildlifeNocturnalCarnivorousLongevousCamouflagedAncient Lineage