Basilisk Lizard running on water captured on camera

Channel Five’s geek squad normally scours the internet for international news about Belize. In the past couple months, they’ve found a Belizean charged with attempted murder, reports on Belize’s high crime rate in the Economist Pocket world in figures, and indications of poor investor confidence in the Oppenheimer report. Well tonight they’ve found something else, and unlike the others this one will get you as green as a lizard. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), on a recent visit to Belize, has captured with its video camera what is commonly known as the Jesus lizard. This particular specie of lizard is given its nickname because it walks on water. The BBC’s high definition film was shot at two thousand frames per second, while showing brown basilisk lizards running across the surface of a pond in Belize. If you haven’t seen the scaly critters in action on the waters here’s a look.”

[BBC footage of basilisk lizard…]

According to the Life series producer of the show, the basilisk lizard runs so fast, it creates a bubble as its feet hit the water and then it pushes off from the bubble before it bursts. For your information there is a specie of bird called the Jesus bird, but it runs across lily pads on river surfaces, which gives the appearance of running on water. That bird is commonly reported to be seen on the Belize River.