Why Did My Leopard Gecko Drop Its Tail? In the wild, predators like birds or even larger reptiles may try to eat leopard geckos. They may drop their tails when they sense a physical threat.

Amazingly, geckos drop their tails along a pre-scored or “dotted line,” so to speak. It's a design that allows a gecko to lose its tail quickly and with minimal damage to the rest of its body.

A Crested Climber This is a crested gecko, named for the spiny ridge that runs along its back and head, all the way to its eyes. These lizards are expert climbers and can use their padded feet to grip ...

The severed tail continues to wiggle, distracting the predator long enough for the reptile to escape. In the lab, Vickaryous simulates this by pinching the gecko's tail causing the tail to drop.

Share News in Science Gecko's tail an energy powerhouse Friday, 20 November 2009 Dani Cooper ABC Geckos who lose their tails have a slower getaway, say researchers (Source: Trish Flemming) ...

To discern whether this was a "one movement fits all" type of balancing act, the researchers created a device that was capable of measuring the force of a gecko's tail against the surface. Using a ...

Geckos can sever their tails along different points because they’re marked by “dotted lines,” a team of researchers has found. When a predator pounces from behind, a lizard can voluntarily ...