Geckskin is able to stick to anything that’s vaguely smooth.
Newly established Makira Natural Park is now Madagascar’s largest protected area. The hope is that the park will protect hundreds of unique species that live in the northeastern part of the island nation. Even the smallest of animal inhabitants, such as this tiny stump-tailed chameleon, stand to benefit. “This is truly a landmark in Madagascar’s ongoing commitment to protect its natural heritage,” said Cristián Samper, president and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which has championed efforts to safeguard Makira for decades. “Makira Natural Park now represents the center of biodiversity conservation for the nation.” BLOG: Mini Chameleons May Be Smallest Reptiles
Makira Natural Park is home to the highest diversity of lemur species on the planet. The red-ruffed lemur only exists in the forests of Makira and nearby Masoala Parks. Lemurs “are the most distantly related primates to us that remain alive today,” Christopher Beard, a Carnegie Museum of Natural History paleontologist, told Discovery News. BLOG: Lemur Ancestors Rafted to Madagascar
The fossa is Madagascar’s only large predator. The largest population of these unusual cat-like predators is believed to exist in Makira. The fossa eats lemurs and requires very large areas of intact forest to maintain healthy populations. PHOTOS: Madagascar Home to 615 Newly Discovered Species
Watch the video below for seven minutes worth of clips demonstrating that Geckskin really can stick to different surfaces over and over and over; the UMass team has just published a paper on Geckskin, and we’re hoping that some kind of commercial development is coming next. And maybe this.
