Unsinkable Jesus Gecko

Changing perspective and seeing reality through the eyes of the very small has the potential to unlock previously unimagined, unseen worlds. The Coleodactylus amazonicus, or Brazilian Pygmy Gecko, could sit comfortably on a finger tip. It is so small that no other reptiles in South America compete with it for food, for territory, for anything. By shrinking to just a little over of 2cm they created there own ‘reptileless’ reality where their speed and agility allows them to compete successfully with insects. Rain however, poses a special challenge. If it wasn’t for their hydrophobic skin they could drown in a waterdrop, much like Alice fears drowning in her own tears in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Falling into a puddle causes no harm as the gecko, because of its small size and hydrophobic qualities, is unsinkable. It’s also called the Jesus Gecko because it can walk on water.