Well… it seems we can still be surprised. 😃
Cornered by a dangerous predator, a gecko can self-amputate its still twitching tail, creating a fleeting moment of distraction — a chance for the lizard to flee with its life.
Small reptiles such as geckos and skinks are well known for this remarkable ability to sacrifice and then rapidly regrow their tails. Now, to scientists’ surprise, it turns out that much larger alligators can regrow theirs too. But only while they’re young.
Juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) can regrow up to 18 percent of their total body length back. This is about 23 cm or 9 inches of length.
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