Reptiles

Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates covered in scales or scutes. This group includes turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodilians, and the lizard-like tuatara. Most lay eggs on land, and all rely on the environment to regulate body heat.

8 guides in this group

Reptiles LC Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis The black mamba is Africa's most feared snake — long, fast, and armed with a fast-acting neurotoxic venom. Learn where the name comes from, how dangerous it really is, and why it usually flees. Read the guide →

Reptiles LC American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis The American alligator is a freshwater ambush predator and an ecosystem engineer whose "gator holes" keep wetlands alive. Learn how it survives freezing water and how it came back from the brink. Read the guide →

Reptiles LC Green Anaconda Eunectes murinus The green anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world, a non-venomous constrictor that ambushes prey from the water. Learn how it kills, why females dwarf males, and how it gives birth. Read the guide →

Reptiles EN Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas The green sea turtle is the only sea turtle that grazes seagrass as an adult, migrates thousands of kilometres, and returns to its birth beach to nest. Learn how it lives and why it's Endangered. Read the guide →

Reptiles VU King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake and the only one that builds a nest for its eggs. Learn how it hunts other snakes, why it rears up, and what its venom does. Read the guide →

Reptiles EN Komodo Dragon Varanus komodoensis The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard alive, a venomous ambush predator found on just a few Indonesian islands. Learn how it hunts prey many times its size and why it's now Endangered. Read the guide →

Reptiles LC Reticulated Python Malayopython reticulatus The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world, a non-venomous constrictor that swims between islands and lives alongside people across Southeast Asia. Learn how it hunts and breeds. Read the guide →

Reptiles LC Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus porosus The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile and has the strongest bite ever measured. Learn how it ambushes prey, crosses open ocean, and how it recovered from near-extinction. Read the guide →