Adder vs. Lizard | National Geographic

how hot is it here in the Namibian
desert on Africa’s southwest coast so
hot that this shovel-snouted lizard has
to thermoregulate
it lowers its entire body temperature by
letting heat escape through its lifted
feet drought is the constant enemy water
is precious when the early morning sea
fog rolls in from the South Atlantic the
water turns to do and resourceful
animals like this Perrin gaze adder
drink the water droplets off its own
skin then it’s time to look for food
ever wonder how a Viper like this one
manages to motor across the hot shifting
sands in the desert the paren gaze adder
does it by lifting most of its body off
the sand this is called Sai binding and
this Sidewinder has turned it into
poetry in motion
this lizard has buried itself to escape
the Sun but once the adder appears the
lizard beats feet out of their scurrying
beetles catch the lizards attention the
chase is on lizard versus beetle versus
adder who adopts a cunning hunting
strategy
let the prey come to it burrow into the
sand and get ready for it ambushing it
wriggles into the hot sand until just
head and eyes are exposed
the lizard looking to devour the beetles
but gets devoured itself this is now an
ex lizard the paren gaze follows strict
desert serpent etiquette and consumes
its meal headfirst