29/08/2026
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DO you know how burrowing geckos stay hydrated in hot, dry habitats?
Species such as Knob-tail Geckos (Nephrurus) rarely have access to pools of standing water. Living in some of Australia’s hottest, driest environments and living much of a subterranean lifestyle during the day, they have evolved some clever ways to stay hydrated.
So, how do they get their water?
Part of their hydration comes from the prey they consume, but they can also take advantage of condensation that forms within their cool underground burrows.
While surface temperatures can be scorching, temperatures inside a burrow can be considerably cooler. This temperature difference can cause moisture in the air to condense into tiny droplets on the gecko’s skin and surrounding surfaces.
Geckos have water-resistant skin, which helps prevent moisture loss. But this also means that when condensation forms, it can collect as droplets on the outside of their body.
The gecko can then simply use its tongue to lick up these droplets and are even capable of licking the condensation directly off their own eyeballs! 👀💧
You can see, in the attached photo of one of our Banded Knob-tail Geckos (Nephrurus cinctus), that when checked early in the morning, condensation has formed on half of its face.
Nature is pretty clever. 🦎
