Animals Adapt to Urban Environments and Human Impact

Humans have become one of the most powerful forces of development, causing significant changes to the environment. In response to the changes brought about by humans, animals in our cities are undergoing extraordinary adaptations, from urban foxes to geckos that can climb glass. In other words, they are transforming themselves.

Anole lizards living in cities in Puerto Rico look very different from their counterparts living in the jungle. These urban reptiles appear to have developed longer legs and extra 'toe lamellae' (meaning tiny pads) on the soles of their feet to climb walls and run at high speeds on hot surfaces. These features are believed to help them adhere better to smooth man-made surfaces like glass and metal. More interestingly, such changes have been observed in just a few years.