Unique: The Plumed Basilisk

Welcome!

Welcome to Everything In Between a blog about, well, everything! I'm Jacqueline, the author of the section Wild Wonders. Each of us authors have 4-5 sections about our interests, passions, and skills. In my section Wild Wonders, I will be telling you about crazy and amazing creatures God has created and how we can learn from them. Hope you enjoy the first post on Everything In Between and the first of my section Wild Wonders!

The Plumed Basilisk, also known as the Green Basilisk, is known for its mind blowing skill of running on water. What’s the purpose of their water running skill? How do they do it???

Gifted

God made many amazing and crazy creatures and each one of them has some sort of unique feature. The Plumed Basilisk was gifted the amazing skill of running on water. How do they do it? Their hind legs are equipped with scaly fringes that unfurl on the water’s surface when they rapidly bicycle them. This creates a temporary air pocket beneath each foot, giving enough lift to propel the light weighing lizard (only 7-17oz) across the water. They can run for about 50-60 feet before diving under the water where they can hold their breath for 30 minutes to an hour! 

Why they do it

The reason for their running on water skills is to escape from predators. The Plumed Basilisk lives in wet, hot, humid, lowland rainforests in Central America where they spend their time basking on tree branches and searching for food. When they need to escape a predator, which could include large reptiles like snakes, birds of prey, wild cats, and larger reptiles like crocodiles, they use their water running skills. When a predator is after the Plumed Basilisk, it will run across the water of streams, rivers, ponds or lakes, then dive under and disappear. 

Unique like the Plumed Basilisk

This amazing creature was created for a purpose by the amazing Creator but so were you! If you think this creature is complex, you will be amazed with what God gave you. What gifts has He given to you? With your gifts, talents, and character traits, you are unique just like the Plumed Basilisk. God gave the Plumed Basilisk gifts like running on water as fast as 5 feet per second and holding its breath underwater for 30 minutes to an hour. Just like this, He gave you gifts and talents. Yes, you. Your have talents and gifts that God gave you were given for a reason. You were created with a purpose. You are unique. Just like the Plumed Basilisk.

-Jacqueline

Plumed Basilisk Profile

Common Name: The Plumed Basilisk also known as the Green Basilisk.

Scientific Name: Basiliscus plumifrons

Lives: In the tropical rainforests and hot, humid lowland forests of Central America, from southern Mexico down to northern Colombia. They inhabit areas with streams, rivers, and other freshwater bodies, where they forage and escape predators by running on water or diving under.

Diet: Insects, spiders, rodents, small birds, small snakes, small fish, fruits, seeds, flowers, and leaves.

Average Life Span: 5-10 years

Size: On average, 2-2.5 feet, but the biggest they can grow is 3 feet (the length of 3 to 4 pencils)

Weight: 7-17 oz (about the weight of 10 pencils)

Top Speed: 11 km  

Predators: Large reptiles like snakes, birds of prey, wild cats, and larger reptiles like crocodiles.