Reptiles

Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates covered in scales, a group that has survived on Earth for more than 300 million years — long enough to include the ancestors of both dinosaurs and modern crocodilians. Unlike mammals and birds, reptiles rely on their environment rather than their own metabolism to regulate body temperature, which is why you'll often find them basking in the sun or seeking shade to cool down.

This group spans an enormous range of forms and survival strategies. Snakes like the black mamba and boa constrictor have evolved entirely different hunting methods — venom versus constriction — while lizards range from the tiny to the formidable, and turtles carry a protective shell that has changed little in tens of millions of years. Crocodilians remain some of the most powerful ambush predators alive today.

Below you'll find comprehensive profiles of reptile species from deserts, rainforests, rivers, and oceans around the world, covering their habitat, diet, physical characteristics, and conservation status. Each profile also answers the questions people most often ask, from how these animals reproduce to how long they typically live in the wild.