Table of Contents Radical Reptiles 4 Talking About Turtles 8 Cagey Crocs 10 Slithering Snakes Lizards 12 Misunderstood Monsters 16 Tricky Tuataras 18 Threats and Conservation 20 Glossary 23 Index 24
Chapter 1 Radical Reptiles They are cold-blooded crawlers with tough skin and a backbone Reptiles are among the most adaptable creatures on Earth While most live on land some prefer the water They display a dizzying variety of self-defense capabilities and some are among the most North American Alligator feared predators on Earth But what reptiles have really mastered is the art of pacing themselves CHILLING OUT Reptiles are ectothermic which means they depend on the Sun for warmth and shade or water for cooling off This also means they don’t need to constantly eat in order to produce energy to stay warm Galapagos tortoises have two speeds slow and stop What they lack in quickness they make up for in longevity They can live to be more than 100 years old Because they were hunted as a food source for sailors in centuries past they are now an endangered species 4
Radical Reptiles Found nowhere else on Earth besides the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean the Galapagos tortoises look and behave differently based on which island they live on This diversity shows how tortoises reptiles and animals in general can adapt to their specific habitat 5
