Transcript Revealing Reptiles

Revealing Reptiles
Rhonda Hawley, Educator,
Developed with funding from the
Mathematics & Science Center
Revealing Reptiles
There are four kinds of
reptiles:
1) lizards and snakes;
2) crocodiles and alligators;
3) turtles and tortoises;
4) tuataras.
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Snakes!
Snakes have a very flexible
backbone with lots of
vertebra.
This allows them to move in an
“S” pattern.
Snakes have dry, scaly skin.
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Some snakes keep on
growing until they
are “giant-sized”.
Snakes can re-grow
old teeth when they
lose them.
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Snake eggs usually
have a leathery
shell.
Most snakes bury
their eggs in the
ground.
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Snakes crawl out
of their old
skin, usually
leaving it
behind in one
piece.
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Turtles and Tortoises!
The turtle and
tortoise shell is
really their
backbone and
ribs, which have
grown outside of
their skin to
protect them.
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Crocodiles and Alligators!
Crocodiles and
alligators live
mostly in the
water.
They are meat
eaters.
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Crocodiles and
alligators lay their
eggs on land. They
take good care of
their young.
They grow very,
very large in a
lifetime.
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Crocodiles and
alligators can
usually be found
baking in the sun.
They will also use
the water to help
them to cool off
or to keep them
warm.
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Tuatara!
Tuatara can only be
found on the
islands of New
Zealand.
They are protected
in New Zealand
because they are
an endangered
species.
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The tuatara eats
beetles, spiders,
slugs, snails,
grasshoppers,
earthworms, as
well as bird eggs,
baby birds and
small lizards.
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Tuataras do lay
eggs like most
reptiles but the
eggs do not
hatch for a year
or more.
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Lizards!
There are over 3,000
kinds of lizards.
Most lizards live on
the ground, some
live in trees, some
burrow, and some
live in the water.
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All lizards have
“super” long
tongues.
They can “taste”
smells in the air
and on the
ground, using
their tongue.
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Lizards have
great claws for
gripping.
They also use
their tail for
gripping and
keeping them
attached to
tree branches.
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COOL FACTS!
• Reptiles bodies are covered in scales, which keep their
bodies from drying out.
• Snakes need hot air temperatures to help them digest their
food.
• Thousands of male garter snakes hibernate together for
warmth.
• The poisonous black mamba is the fastest snake. It can
move up to 12 mph (19 km/h).
• The crocodile will often open its mouth so that the sun’s
heat warms the blood vessels in its mouth. This helps to
warm its body.
• The Marion’s tortoise is thought to be the world’s longest
lived animal. It can live for 150 years.
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Photograph Credits
•
•
•
Slides 2 – 10 and 14 - 16 : Smithsonian National Zoological Park;
Reptiles & Amphibians photo gallery
Photographer: Jessie Cohen
http://natzoo.si.edu/Animals/PhotoGallery/ReptilesAmphibians/def
ault.cfm
Slides 11 & 13 : Department of Conservation Mount Bruce
National Wildlife Center www.mtbruce.doc.govt.nz/tuatara.htm
Slide 12 : Tuatara
Photographer: Michael Schneider
www.bigjude.com/Tuatara.html
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