What are you doing here?
Birds that can’t fly and reptiles that appear to; snakes that live in the sea
and fish out of water... Sometimes animals just don’t seem to behave
how you might expect them to!
Sometimes life on land is the
best option even for animals you
would normally expect to see in
the air or under water.The surface of water is an
important barrier for most
animals, but some species use
it to their advantage to escape
predators or to surprise
unwary prey.Only birds, bats, and insects are
capable of true flight, but several
other kinds of animal have developed
the ability to control long glides
through the air.LIVING WORLD
Many air-breathing animals visit
the underwater realm, which is a
great place to find food. Some,
such as penguins, must return to
land to breed, but others
manage this in water, too. FLYING GECKO
Flaps of skin, webbed feet,
and a flat tail help the gecko
control glides from tree to tree. GOLDEN TREESNAKE
By spreading its rib cage, this
amazing snake turns its whole
body into a ribbonlike glider. FLYING FISH
Flying fish skim over the
waves at up to 37 mph
(60 km/h), but
predators cannot follow. PENGUINS
Penguins gave up flight
but have perfected the art
of swimming under water. EMU
The Australian emu
has huge, powerful
legs, but no wings. BASILISK
LIZARD
Big feet and amazing
speed allow this reptile
to sprint over still
water.AIR
LAND
SURFACE OF WATER
UNDERWATER