The fact that many species of reptiles and amphibians seemingly disappear against natural backgrounds in their environments is well-known. Examples of these animals can be found in natural history books and magazines. Their disguises are so enigmatic that the caption often asks you to find the reptile or amphibian in the picture.
As a former herpetologist at the Fort Worth Zoo, I routinely worked with many reptiles and amphibians. Secretive species were in several exhibits, but leaf-tailed geckos were some of the most challenging to spot. Even though I knew where they typically perched and how many were in the exhibit, I had trouble finding these geckos.
Want to read the full story? Pick up the July 2008 issue of REPTILES today, or subscribe to get 12 months of articles just like this.