Category Archives: Reptiles

The most famous tortoises, as well as the largest, are those found in the Galapagos Islands. Individuals among these giant land tortoises have weighed four and five hundred pounds. At one time there were great numbers of land tortoises living on the volcanic Galapagos. However during the whaling days in the South Pacific men discovered … Continue reading

Iguanas are those lizards that belong to the Iguanidae family. There are about seven hundred species of them. They are found only in the New World, in certain islands in the South Pacific, and in Madagascar. In eastern United States the most common iguana is the fence lizard. It is greyish brown but has blue … Continue reading

The boas live mainly in the tropics of the New World. There are some fifty or more species, ranging in size from the giant anaconda, which may reach a length of thirty feet, to the small rubber boa which is only two feet long. The emerald tree boa, one of the most attractive members of … Continue reading

Traditionally, snakes are animals towards which man has shown a profound aversion. This crawling animal arouses man’s fear and repugnance, and seems to represent to him a menace against which he would find it difficult to protect himself. The cold, unwavering glance of the snake’s immobile eyes does not inspire affection. And yet one cannot … Continue reading

Some animals seem impossible to classify at a glance. One of these is the caiman. A traveller, finding one near a stream in a Brazilian forest, might scream, “A crocodile!” and flee. The caiman is not a crocodile, although it belongs to the order Crocodilia. It also belongs to the sub-family Alligator- mae. Crocodiles are … Continue reading