“Reptile Adaptation” Discovery Education Video Transcript
Now that we have met some reptiles lets explore what made them so successful. We'll begin with the matter of where they live. Here we're looking at a desert in the American southwest. This countryside is mighty hot and mighty dry, definitely not the kind of lush, Moisture-rich environment most amphibians need. In contrast, however, many reptiles, Such as these gala monsters, find even the driest deserts a great place to call home. And just why is that so? Why, unlike amphibians, do so many reptiles flourish far away from water? Well, simply put, the answer is reptiles don't dry out. And here's one of the key adaptations that keeps that from happening: A tough, scaly, waterproof skin. Such skin helps to keep reptile bodies from drying out when they are on land. This lizard shows something else that’s mighty helpful to critters living on land: Strong, sturdy legs and feet. These adaptations help them dig, climb, And move around quickly and easily. With the exception of snakes and rare legless lizards, all reptiles have such sturdy legs and feet. And here's a third vital adaptation for living on land: Reptiles lay eggs that are covered with a leathery, waterproof shell that keeps them from drying out on land. Well, that winds up our tour of the reptiles, the first group of animals to colonize dry land.