Reptiles

Group: Tortoise

Giant tortoise

Some basic facts:

➢ The giant tortoise is an iconic species from the Galápagos and is only found on
these islands. They are the largest living tortoise in the world.
➢ Average weight 250 kg / size 1,8 m
➢ They live 100+ years
➢ They spend an average of 16 hours a day resting. The rest of their time spent
eating grasses but they can survive up to a year without water or food ! Tortoises have been around
for over 200 million years –
longer than lizards, birds,
➢ Breeding occurs during the hot
mammals, crocodiles and
season (in Galapagas January - snakes
May). After mating, the female
migrates to a resting area, where
she digs a hole with her back into
which she lays 2-16 eggs, each the
size of a tennis ball. The eggs are
incubated by the sun after 130 days.
 Group: Turtles

Green sea turtle

Some basic facts:

➢ There are 2 types of green turtles- Atlantic green turtle (Europe and North
America) and Eastern Pacific green turtle (from Alaska to Chile)
➢ Green turtles are listed as endangered species
➢ they can weight up to 700 pounds and grow up to 5 feet: Males are slightly
larger than females
➢ adults eat only sea grasses and algae but the young green turtles eat fish, ! They can hold their breath
jellyfish and algae for five hours underwater.
➢ A female sea turtle can lay several
clutches of eggs in one season. The
eggs are all fertilized by a variety of
males, which contributes to the
genetic diversity. After she lays her
eggs (70 - 125 average), she covers
the egg chamber with sand.
 Group: Lizards

Chameleon

Some basic facts:

➢ Chameleons or chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and

highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as
of June 2015
➢ Chameleons mostly live in the rain forests and deserts of Africa ! Chameleon's tongues are lightning-
fast, moving at around 13 miles an hour
➢ the color of their skin helps them to adapt - thos living in trees are
green those living in desert are mostly brown.
➢ Chameleon eat insects (grasshoppers, silkworms, etc.)
➢ Chameleons are oviparous, they lay
20 - 200 eggs three to six weeks
after copulation. The female will dig
a hole and deposit eggs.
 Group: Crocodilian

America Aligator

Some basic facts:

➢ An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus

Alligator of the family Alligatoridae.The American alligator is found in
the southeastern US. It is the largest reptile in North America
➢ It lives in freshwater including rivers, marshes, swamps and lakes. ! Despite their short legs, alligators
➢ The American alligator eats fish, turtles, snakes. It does most of its can climb trees.
hunting in the water. It drags larger prey underwater and drowns it.

➢ Mating occurs after late spring.

After mating the female builds a
mound nest of grass and mud.
She has around 35-50 eggs. The
eggs hatch for 1 months. When
they eat insects, shrimp and
small fish.
 Group: Snakes

Anaconda

Some basic facts:

➢ The most common snake of the Anaconda genus is the green anaconda.
These snakes live in tropical and subtropical regions of South America.
➢ The green anaconda is considered the largest snake in the world. The
female grow up to 9 m and weight up to 90 kg. Females tend to be
significantly larger than males
➢ They preys upon deer, birds, fish, turtles or caimans. They can go weeks
! Once they have reached
their adult size Anacondas
or even months without eating.
can take on wild pigs,
➢ The female doesn't eat until after birth, caiman, capybara and
so to ensure her survival sometimes she even jaguars!
eats the males after mating. The female
anaconda retains her eggs until time of
birth. She delivers 40 live young after
her 7 months gestation period.
Anacondas usually live around 10 years.
 Group: Legless Lizards

Slow worm
(Anguis fragilis)

Some basic facts:

➢ The slow worm is a reptile native to western Eurasia. It is now a

worm nor a snake, it is legless lizard
➢ It growth up to 50 cm and weights up to 100 g. Average life is 20 -
30 years
➢ They hibernate from October to March ! When attacked by a
➢ Slow worms eat slugs, snails, spiders and earthworms predator, slow worms, like
other lizards, will discard
➢ The mating season for slow their tails hoping to
worms kicks off in May. escape while the predator
Female incubate the eggs is distracted by the still
internally, “giving birth” to an wriggling tail.
average of 8 young.
Sources:

❏ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
❏ https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/nw4.htm
❏ https://www.adoptananimalkits.com/animal_encyclopedia/params/category/173342/
item/994031/
❏ https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/chameleon
❏ https://www.animeddirect.co.uk/advice/facts-about-tortoises-and-turtles/
❏ https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/americanalligator.htm
❏ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/reptiles/slow-worm