OK so before you read this I have to admit that I feel more than a little guilty about it, but its was a chance to witness nature in action…
I was moving some things around here at Stark's Road and I spotted a Northern Alligator Lizard enjoying the sunshine on the rocks. I know that Emma loves to see this kind of nature, so I picked it up to show it to her. Unfortunately I was wearing gloves and so fumbled the poor lizard. One minute I was holding the lizard, the next I was holding the lizard by the tail. Then suddenly I was holding JUST THE TAIL. It had detached from the poor lizard, and was still wriggling! After freaking out a bit, I remembered that lizards can do this to escape predators. Its called autotomy - apparently the tail has its own nervous system to keep wriggling - distracting any predator. Certainly worked with me – I was so freaked out by the wriggling tail the lizard was long gone. Whist its kinda cool to see this in person, I feel a little guilty for mishandling the lizard. Apparently it will grow a shorter, fatter tail back, but without the bones. So apologies to the alligator lizard with the newly grown short fat tail!